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The Chairman of the West Africa Regional Development Commission (WARDC), Kasho Holland Cole, has called for the court to formally bring an end to the case involving former President Ernest Bai Koroma, arguing that the government’s decision to discontinue the matter does not provide full legal certainty.
Cole said the discontinuance only indicates that the prosecution no longer intends to proceed with the case but does not amount to an acquittal and discharge, which can only be granted by the court.
According to him, an acquittal and discharge would provide finality to the matter and protect the former president from the possibility of facing the same charges again, depending on the applicable law and circumstances.
He stressed that the difference between a discontinuance and an acquittal is not merely a legal technicality but a matter of justice and due process.
“This lingering uncertainty serves neither the interests of the accused nor the public,” Cole stated.
He cautioned that government announcements should not be mistaken for the conclusion of the legal process, arguing that the matter should return to court for an appropriate order.
“The rule of law is strictest when legal disputes begin in court and end in court,” Cole said, adding that executive statements cannot replace judicial decisions.
Cole maintained that former President Koroma, like every citizen, deserves full protection under the law and urged the court to formally acquit and discharge him if there is no longer a case to answer.
He argued that concluding the matter through a clear judicial order would help ensure that the legal record reflects that the case was resolved in accordance with due process and would strengthen public confidence in Sierra Leone’s justice system.
