The President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Tuma Adama Gento Kamara, has stated that the association facilitated the bail of the National Secretary General of the All People’s Congress (APC), Lansana Dumbuya, following his arrest over a political statement made at a rally on January 31, where he accused President Julius Maada Bio of “stealing” the 2023 elections.

Speaking after Dumbuya’s release, Gento explained that the matter had initially been adjourned to Thursday, February 19, 2026. She said she was unable to attend the first court sitting due to a health challenge.

According to her, the case came up again on Monday, February 16, 2026, for a second sitting, but she was engaged in another legal representation in Kenema at the time.

She said the matter was again adjourned to February 19, 2026, and that no application was heard during the previous sitting because of circumstances in court.

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“As an association, we have been following the situation,” Gento said, noting that Dumbuya is a senior member of the Bar. She stated that the association reached out to the Judiciary to request permission to make an application for a production order before the adjourned date.

She explained that a production order allows lawyers to apply through the law for a person in custody to be brought before the court prior to a scheduled hearing date.

“That is what we did, and his defense team renewed his application. We went to the court as a Bar Association to ensure that they do all that is needed to be done for our colleague to be released, and that is exactly what we did,” Gento said.

According to the Bar President, when the magistrate delivered his ruling, he stated that Dumbuya would be handed over to the Bar Association through the Chairman of the APC. Gento assured that the association would ensure Dumbuya’s presence in court when the matter resumes.

“A bail has been granted and the Sierra Leone Bar Association kindly facilitated that to make sure that he comes out before the adjourned date,” she said.

Gento further called on citizens to respect the rule of law and follow due process. “I want to admonish all Sierra Leoneans to be law-abiding citizens and follow all due processes,” she stated.

She emphasized that bail remains discretionary. “I want to make it clear that bail is discretionary; even though the laws are clear, but it’s the same law that says it’s based on the discretion of the bench,” she said, adding that she was pleased that bail had been granted.

The matter, she confirmed, now continues as adjourned to February 24, 2026.