The secretary general of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Lansana Dumbuya, has denied any criminal intent over political remarks about the country’s 2023 elections, saying they were made in good faith and within constitutional limits, according to a statement he submitted to police.
Dumbuya issued the statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Feb. 4, a day after he was detained following police questioning, APC officials said.
In the statement, Dumbuya said comments attributed to him in late January were political opinions based on reports by domestic and international election observers and reflected a long-standing position of the APC on the conduct and outcome of the 2023 polls.
He said the party has consistently raised concerns through lawful political channels, including allegations that the election results did not fully reflect the will of voters.
Dumbuya said his remarks were made within the bounds of democratic discourse protected by the constitution and rejected any suggestion of malice or criminal intent.
He also cited what he described as the absence of comprehensive and disaggregated official election results, saying the issue remains the subject of public debate in Sierra Leone and among international partners.
Despite his cooperation with police, Dumbuya said he was detained by order of the inspector general of police in connection with what he described as normal political engagement.
The statement was copied to regional and international bodies including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the Commonwealth, as well as to development partners and Sierra Leone’s Peace Commission.
Police have not publicly disclosed the basis for Dumbuya’s detention or said whether he will be charged. Attempts to obtain comment from the police were unsuccessful.
The case has drawn attention to political freedoms and post-election governance in Sierra Leone following the disputed 2023 vote.
