Former SLFA President Thomas Daddy Arrested in Magburaka Over School Construction Project
Ben Bassey Former Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) President Thomas Daddy Brima was arrested Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Magburaka, Tonkolili District, over a government school construction project, police sources say.
Brima was taken into custody by Magburaka police before being transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Freetown for questioning, according to a source close to the Magburaka Police Division. The arrest is linked to the construction of teachers’ quarters within the Magburaka school compound, a project that has reportedly exceeded its completion timeframe.
The Magburaka arrest is distinct from the high-profile corruption investigation Brima faced in 2025. In April of that year, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested Brima and two SLFA executives—Acting Secretary General Benson Bawoh and Finance Officer Ibrahim Bah—over allegations of embezzling more than $720,000 intended for football development.
ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala said at the time that the trio was suspected of diverting funds from FIFA, CAF, and the Sierra Leonean government between 2021 and 2025 . The three were released on bail of $500,000 each .
Reports from July 2025 indicated that a construction company owned by Brima had been awarded the BADEA school construction project in Magburaka but had failed to deliver, with authorities describing the work as an “eyesore” and the worst-performing project in the Free Quality Education Project. The World Bank and government officials monitoring the project reportedly raised serious concerns about substandard work.
The Sierra Leone Police has not yet issued an official statement on Thursday’s arrest. Brima has previously denied all allegations of wrongdoing, stating in 2025: “I encourage the Commissioners to do their utmost best in proving their claims. As a President who believes in fostering the development of football, I am sure that there is nothing to hide in the cupboard”.