Twelve people have been charged in Sierra Leone for their alleged role in November’s failed coup attempt.
They include former police and correctional officers as well as the former bodyguard of ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma.
Mr Koroma is also a suspect in the coup attempt and has been under house arrest since he was questioned by police last month.
The suspects are facing several charges, including treason, concealing treason and “harbouring, aiding and abetting the enemy”, Information Minister Chernor Bah said in a statement.
Other suspects “are expected to be charged in the coming days”, he added.
On 26 November, gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons in capital city Freetown, freeing almost 2,000 inmates.
At least 19 people, including 13 soldiers, died in the violence, which was labelled as a failed coup attempt by the army.
In December, the government announced that it had held 80 suspects over the coup attempt, including civilians and active and former police and military officers.
Mr Koroma’s daughter, Dankay Koroma, was also named among 54 other wanted suspects.
It’s really the fault of the AU and the UN. The two organisations somehow believe that once they have helped a post-conflict failed state hold elections, then their work is done and they should leave the newly-elected leader to get on with it. It’s really amazing how these highly educated and well-paid officials in the AU and the UN fail to get it. The international trade and financial system that facilitates it is rigged so much so that the public procurement system in most developing countries cannot negotiate fair contracts that bring benefits to their people. As a result even if a good leader gets elected, they are unable to deliver improvements in living standards. That’s where Sierra Leone is but the UN and its affiliate the AU are not interested in changing the status quo. It’s a shame really.