Sierra Leone’s former president, Ernest Bai Koroma, left the country for Nigeria on a presidential plane, sanctioned by the court to travel abroad for medical purposes despite facing treason charges. The indictment of the 70-year-old politician stemmed from an alleged involvement in a failed military coup to oust the government in November. However, a high court ruling permitted his departure, citing concerns over potential domestic tensions surrounding the 2023 general elections. The main opposition candidate disputed the results, and international partners questioned the credibility of the vote. Koroma’s legal team condemned the charges as malicious and politically motivated. The president’s departure was observed by Reuters reporters at Sierra Leone’s Freetown airport. Upon reaching Abuja, Nigerian officials and the president of ECOWAS, the political and economic bloc of West Africa, greeted the former president. ECOWAS’s role in facilitating the relocation was unconfirmed at the time of reporting.