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President Ernest Bai Koroma (L) had a frosty
relationship with his sacked deputy, Samuel Sam-Sumana (R)
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Sierra Leone's Vice-President Samuel
Sam-Sumana has been sacked for seeking political asylum in a foreign embassy,
the president's office has said. Mr Sam-Sumana had shown a
willingness to abandon the vice-presidency by seeking asylum, it added.
On Saturday, Mr Sam-Sumana said he
had asked for asylum in the US because his life was in danger.
Media reports continue:
The governing party had earlier
expelled him after accusing him of fuelling violence, which he denies.
The dispute between President Ernest
Bai Koroma and Mr Sam-Sumana has raised fears about the future stability of
Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone has been
badly affected by the Ebola outbreak in the region, and is still battling to
recover from a civil war which ended in 2002.
Government troops surrounded Mr
Sam-Sumana's home in the capital, Freetown, on Saturday.
He came out of hiding on Monday,
telling journalists at his home: "I am safe. We are all safe."
Correspondents say Mr Koroma's
decision could be challenged, as many people believe the constitution does not
give him the power to sack the vice-president.
However, Mr Koroma said on Monday
that he had "constitutional authority" to dismiss Mr Sam-Sumana, AFP
news agency reports.
The governing All People's Congress
expelled him earlier this month, and accused him of trying to form a breakaway
party in his home district of Kono.
The US State Department said on Sunday it was in
contact with Sierra Leone's authorities in an attempt to resolve the crisis.
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