By Janet A. Sesay
Lansana Dumbuya Esq. the National Secretary General of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party was on Thursday, 12th February, 2026 remanded in custody following his first appearance before the Principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrate Court No.1, Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah on allegations that have to do with statement of incitement against President Julius Maada Bio and a police officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Francis Momodu Tommy at the Brima Attouga Mini Stadium during a “Mammoth Meeting” called by the APC party.
Dumbuya was represented in court by over twenty-one (21) lawyers including Sulaiman Kabba Koroma as Lead Defense Counsel; and Yusuf Isaac Sesay is the Lead Prosecutor on behalf of the State.
Dumbuya was arraigned before the court on three count charges of incitement contrary to law, insulting language contrary to Section 2 of the Public Order Act 1965 No. 46 of 1965 and behaving in an insulting manner contrary to Section 12 (a) of the Public Order Act 1965, Act No. 46 of 1965 as amended by Section 2 of the Public Order Act of 1973, Act No.15 of 1973.
The indictment states that Dumbuya on Saturday, 31st January, 2026 at the Brima Attouga mini stadium in Freetown, made an unlawful act by encouraging his supporters to call the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio a thief to wit: “N ar want as ar sing now leh una sing with me you understand? From da election way dem tif: Maada Bio- tiffy-tiffy Jankoleeco… Maada Bio – tiffy-tiffy Jankoleeco.”
The indictment further states that Dumbuya on the above date and place made use of the same insulting language to the annoyance of the Regional Operations Officer- Freetown -East, ASP Francis Momodu Tommy.
The indictment concludes that Dumbuya on the above date and place in a public place behaved in an insulting manner by encouraging his supporters to sing against the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
When the charges were read and explained to Dumbuya he pleaded not guilty of the offenses.
Lead State Prosecutor, Yusuf Isaac Sesay sought for an adjournment saying he had just received instructions for him to serve as lead Prosecutor in the matter.
Lawyer Sesay went on to assure that if granted the adjournment him and his team would be able to put their case together as well as to call witnesses to testify, especially so when the defendant has pleaded not guilty of the offenses.
He went on to further inform the court that the Prosecution has served the bundle of copies of the indictment and statements of the defendant to the defense team.
The Lead Defense Counsel, Sulaiman Kabba Koroma replied that the Prosecution did not intend to proceed with the matter which he described as “very serious” pointing out that the face of the information in the indictment states two clear Complainants one is President Bio and the other is ASP Francis Momodu Tommy.
Defense Counsel Koroma maintained at that stage that if the Prosecutor did not proceed with the matter, he would like he court to grant bail to the Defendant, Lansana Dumbuya.
Lawyer Koroma noted that the Prosecution had earlier served the Defence Team an affidavit opposing bail, but he stated that bail is as of right and it is a gift from the bench.
He therefore referred to Section 76(1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 8 of 2024 which talks about the bail of defendants.
Defense Counsel Koroma went to highlight that while going through the affidavit served by the Prosecution, he noticed that it is stated that if the Defendant is granted bail, he will be flight risk. He told the court that, that assertion is wrong and impossible and guaranteed that the Defendant will never leave the jurisdiction.
He also denied the assertion that the Defendant will interface with prosecution witnesses stating that the Defendant, Lansana Dumbuya has never met President Bio and if he could have met him, the matter would not have been in court. Lawyer Koroma also debunked “the gravity of the offenses” that the Prosecution states in the affidavit opposing bail.
He said the bundle of documents submitted by the Prosecution has a press release which is dated 4 February 2026 sign by the Defendant on behalf of the party of which he is the National Secretary General and that as a key document to support the Prosecution’s case, there is no evidence of people being arrested for the allegations the Defendant stands charged with.
At this juncture, the State Prosecutor, Yusuf Isaac Sesay objected that Defense Counsel should ask for bail before the court and not to do an explanation of the merits and demerits of the affidavit opposing bail.
The objection by the State Counsel was sustained.
Defense Counsel Koroma in his continuation noted that Paragraph 6 of the affidavit raised concern that granting the Defendant bail it will cause public disorder that will result in the committing of offenses similar to what the Defendant is being charged with.
The Defense Counsel noted this assertion as by the Prosecution as tantamount to already finding the Defendant guilty, pointing out that it is only the Magistrate that has the right to declare the Defendant as guilty and not the Prosecution. He said there are no sufficient good reasons given by the Prosecution why the Defendant should not be granted bail.
Defense Counsel Koroma went on to refer to the Defendant as a Lawyer of 26 years standing who has never been reported to the General Legal Council for misconduct, and that he owns a Legal Chamber that is named “Lansana Dumbuya and Associates” and that he is a Human Rights Lawyer who has worked at the Special Court of Sierra Leone helping to build peace to sustain the country and also that he is a consummate politician and the current National Secretary General of the country’s main opposition political party.
Lawyer Koroma further cited Section 25 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone that gives right to freedom of speech, and went to jokingly insinuate that in the Krio language: “Some Man dea vex pass the Pa way get ih vex.”
Lawyer Koroma therefore submitted that President Bio is President of Sierra Leone and not President of any single political party and that the Defendant had no intention to disrespect the President of the Republic.
He informed the court that the Defendant as National Secretary General, was supposed to handle the lower level elections of his party to be held on Saturday, 14th February and if not granted bail it will affect the process.
However, having listened to both Prosecution and Defense Counsels, Magistrate Jah refused bail in consideration of the affidavit presented by the Prosecution and adjourned the matter to Monday, 16th February 2026 for continuation.
Meanwhile, the Defendant, Lansana Dumbuya was standing in the dock saying it was a witch hunt.
Supporters of the APC party were out singing the party’s victory song while Dumbuya was being led away by the prison officers.
The Defense Team representing the Defendant, Lansana Dumbuya included: A.S. Sesay, Brima Koroma, J.O.P. Mani Spain, S.A. Bangura, Abdulai Baratay, E.B. Kargbo, F. Mansaray, U. Turay, I. Turay, M.F. Sesay, M.M. Conteh, A.K. Kamara, M.W. Jalloh, C. Kamara, M. Massa, A. Bangura, M. Conteh, A. Maddie, B.J. Combay, I.Y. Conteh, L. Mamboi amongst others.