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Sheikh Abu Bakarr Kamara, a prominent Muslim cleric, has been arrested and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Freetown following controversial statements regarding Muslims celebrating Christmas.
Police reports indicate that the Sheikh was taken into custody on allegations of incitement.
According to sources, Sheikh Kamara was initially invited to the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (South) at the Bo West Police Station yesterday evening. After being interrogated, he was detained overnight.
Early this morning, the cleric was transported from Bo to the CID Headquarters in Freetown for further investigation.
SL Islamic Web TV confirmed the detention, stating that efforts are underway to secure legal representation for the Sheikh. “Fellow Muslims are trying to secure lawyers for him, and some Muslim lawyers are even volunteering to support him,” the platform reported, urging followers to remain calm and avoid making inflammatory media comments while the legal team handles the matter.
The arrest follows a viral video sermon in which Sheikh Kamara warned the Muslim Jama’at against participating in Christmas festivities. In the footage, he allegedly stated that any Muslim who celebrates the holiday—including eating “Christmas rice”—is committing a wrongdoing and is destined for hell.
The comments sparked widespread debate on social media, with critics arguing the rhetoric threatened Sierra Leone’s long-standing tradition of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
The police action comes despite a public apology issued by Sheikh Kamara on December 28 via S.I.K. Online TV. In his statement, the cleric claimed his sermon had been edited and taken out of context to misrepresent his message.
“I do not know the person who shared that video… It was cut and pasted in such a way that it misrepresents my message,” Kamara stated. He expressed regret for any offense caused to the Christian community and President Julius Maada Bio, emphasizing that his intent was to guide Muslims on Islamic doctrine, not to sow division.
The controversy previously drew a response from the Ministry of Social Welfare on December 27. The Ministry issued a statement condemning rhetoric that promotes exclusion, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting religious freedom and national harmony.
The investigation is ongoing at the CID Headquarters.
It’s really pathetic to see things like this going in in this country!
How can someone be arrested simply because he tried to guide the Muslims?
You sense small
Seriously
Honestly my brother
Hmm, this is pathetic as I see nothing that should have caused the arrest of the man, the preaching is correct if you are Muslim, you should not partake in Christmas celebration, meh.
I’m strongly against such hate & misguided preaching because it is very inciting & in many ways could be misinterpreted & in the mere future could spark some kind of religious clash,which i believe is very uncharacteristic of this our beautiful country.
Did he said Christina would go to hell
God bless you my brother
Which God??
Oh Liberia Man
Tell me, is this a drama? what is police even doing in this matter?
This is rubbish, why should the man be arrested and detained over a preaching which is in line with the Islamic doctrine. He should have been cautioned and or warned
Please stop sending messages that will make situation difficult ok.
This is not in line with Islamic doctrine. In saying that I don’t think he should be detained. A warning will suffice. However people should be very careful with religious utterances. Too many deaths going around the world because of things like these.
Is that the only preaching in Islamic doctrine that should be preached in this season.
If you are talking about doctrine then let us dig out each religion and make a content about it and see what doctrines are.
When mufti came in sierra Leone and he was given the national stadium to pass his message he said sierra Leone is a Muslim state a pastor came out and debunk his message and that pastor was arrested and detained in CID headquarter at pademba road for some days befor he was released the reason behind his dentation is because he want cause a fight between the Christians and Muslims
So if this sheikh was arrested for questioning what wrong about that for the safety of our the country please let be plane here
That was crystal clear
But this one was in the congregation of Muslim not Christian
You’re all bunch of fool, why do Muslims celebrate or observe the birth of their Prophet besides if we the Christians also decide not to participate in the holy month of Ramadan?
That should not be a sermon at that particular time of the season. It would have done before the Christmas season, he’s indirectly preaching hatred and trying to bring division among we the Christian and Muslims. Why do they feel so superior over us? God doesn’t have religion is just a way of worship him in different manner.
We’re all serving the same Being in different ways accept ours then we’ll accept yours lonta. No one judge only God.
He should have said no Muslim is permitted to celebrate Christmas day as it is scriptural. But making a final judgement for those Muslim whom intended to celebrate with friends and family from the other side that ” they will go to hell” makes him to go out of context in this part of the world where we found ourselves. Judgement is in the hands of Allah/God. @gvsl, please consider his apology. Sierra Leone is a peaceful coexistence country, no one or message will separate us.
Mr. AIG if you listened to the message very well the sheikh said MUSLIM who celebrates Christmas will go to hell he didn’t say Christians. Why do you advise people not to do or go close to bad people so why the Iman advising his fellow Muslim become a WAR. Sierra Leone again a country where you can’t say the truth become a WAR
You see Sierra Leone is really peaceful and for co-Christians we appreciate your peace towards the matter. If it was a Christian that has done such it should have spark a flame that possibly could cause fire. Even besides us in our village during Ramadan Muslims will preach in mosques that Jesus is not the son of God so so so and so and no Christian would say a word if such thing is been done by the Christian community it would be something different.
I personally believe the peace and submission Islam preaches is not real considering what they do against the Christian community all over the world.
I believe you can’t fight for God He do it by Himself but a single incitement will cause them to burn humans who they cannot make their lives. Even in this scenario it will shock you that a Christian will not even bother about it just that the government has had about it and they want to put a stop to this unruly thing that might cause conflict. For all of us that are religious tolerance let us hold on it believing God has the final say and know that if your God is true you wouldn’t fight for Him.
If you come to the shrine of a native doctor and do something against the gods they will retaliate themselves. Sierra Leone is peaceful please those of you that are spewing whatever be careful this is the only country we have don’t bring division among us we embraces ourselves each day a Christian can buy in a Muslim shop as well as a Muslim in a Christian shop we don’t consider it in Sierra Leone as Haram please.
We are UBUNTU. I am because we are.