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Opposition leader Ernest Bai Koroma was sworn in as Sierra Leone's president on Monday (September 17) after winning a run-off vote marked by political tension and some cases of ballot fraud in the war-scarred West African state. The 53-year-old former insurance executive, who was runner-up in the 2002 presidential poll, took the oath of office before the chief justice at State House in the capital Freetown. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) earlier declared the All People's Congress (APC) candidate the winner of the Sept. 8 poll, despite a threat by the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) to challenge the result in court. "Ernest Bai Koroma has been duly elected president of the Republic of Sierra Leone," NEC chairperson Christiana Thorpe told a news conference in Freetown. Although sporadic violence had marred campaigning for the run-off, international observers hailed the election as an important step in the former British colony's recovery from the brutal 1991-2002 civil war. Jubilant supporters of Koroma wearing the APC's red colours ran cheering through the streets of the capital, while cars and trucks honked their horns. Local barrister John Bokarie joined in the celebrations, and said the right man had won. "I consider it to be very great. We are very happy, it reflects the wishes of the people," he said. Local trader Kadiatu Kargbo said she was confident the result meant a brighter future for Sierra Leone. "Now that the APC has come to power along...