Lawyers Demand Immediate Release of APC Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya

Lawyers Demand Immediate Release of APC Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya

The Lawyers’ Society of Sierra Leone has voiced significant apprehension regarding the reported detention of the All People’s Congress (APC) Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya, and is formally urging the police to secure his immediate release.

In a public statement, the Society characterized the detention as "profoundly concerning," asserting that the criminalization of free speech is antithetical to fundamental democratic principles. The organization underscored the availability of established and less-restrictive legal avenues for addressing alleged violations, cautioning against the default use of arrest and detention.

The statement explicitly calls for action: “We therefore call upon the Police to release Mr. Dumbuya immediately and permit the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the statutory authority mandated to regulate political parties, to adjudicate the matter in strict adherence to the law.”

Furthermore, the Lawyers’ Society stressed the paramount importance of due process, warning that the detention of a political party official over public statements could establish a detrimental precedent for freedom of expression within the nation.

This appeal follows ongoing scrutiny of the APC, subsequent to the PPRC levying fines against the party for statements made by Mr. Dumbuya and entertainer Zainab Sheriff during a recent public rally in Attouga. While the APC has publicly confirmed it will not remit the fine imposed on Ms. Sheriff, the broader discourse on accountability and political speech continues to dominate public attention.

As of the current time, the police have not released an official response concerning the Lawyers’ Society’s demand or provided an update on the status of Mr. Dumbuya’s detention.