By Kemo Cham
The Sierra Leone Police has published an updated “Wanted List” of people being sought for their suspected involvement in last month’s alleged failed attempted coup, and on the list is the daughter of the beleaguered former President Ernest Bai Koroma.
Dankay Koroma, one of two officially known daughters of the former President, is among 28 new faces that made the updated list that was published on the official social media platform of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Tuesday. Many of the other new entrants are of military background.
It brings the total number of people declared wanted by the government since the November 26 attack to 57, only three of whom have already been arrested. Among those in detention are former regional police commander Alfred Karrow Kamara and ex-military officer Amadu Koita, who has been described as an associate of the former President.
The addition of Dankay Koroma to the list is a major setback for the former President who is expected to continue with his appearance before investigators at the Criminal Investigation Department today, Tuesday December 12.
The Wanted List issued by the Police on Tuesday, December 13, 2023
The government had said that he became interest in the investigation due to his association with many of those who had either been killed or arrested in response to the coup.
Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu declined to comment on the specific reasons for the inclusion of Dankay in the wanted list at this week’s government press briefing on Tuesday.
He also refrained from commenting on specifics of the evidences against the former president, whom her referred to a suspect.
“I don’t want to prejudice the investigation,” he said.
It will be President Koroma’s 4th appearance before the CID since Friday, December 8. He is effectively under house arrest at his private residence in the west end of Freetown. His movement and access to guests have been restricted by the police, according to the government, since Saturday, after his second visit to the police.
The former President’s office in its latest statement on Monday said he’d continued to respond to the call by the police to assist in the investigation, and that he “reaffirms his commitment to and reliance on due process and the rule of law.”