Popular TikToker and businesswoman Mariama Benjie has been released from police custody following her arrest over allegations of cyberbullying, but the circumstances surrounding her release have ignited widespread public criticism and raised serious questions about due process within the Sierra Leone Police.

Speaking to Liberty Online TV, Mariama Benjie confirmed that she had been detained at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and later released. According to her own public account, her release came after Admire Bio personally went to the CID headquarters and demanded that she be freed.

Mariama Benjie stated that her detention stemmed from an ongoing issue with an individual identified as Rugie. She explained that during the dispute, she mentioned a name that was later interpreted as referring to President Julius Maada Bio, which she said was the primary reason for her arrest. She maintained that she did not intend to refer to or disrespect the President, insisting that she merely mentioned a name without any malicious intent.

She further alleged that Rugie was the person who reported the matter to the CID, adding that other individuals may have been involved, though she could not identify them. According to her account, she was initially informed that she was being held for cyberbullying, but was later told that her detention was linked to mentioning a name she “was not supposed to mention.”

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Mariama Benjie also disclosed that she was not formally released but rather urgently bailed, leaving her mobile phone with the CID and agreeing to report back to the station. She claimed that the bail was granted by Admire Bio, without any stated conditions, documentation, or court involvement, and that the urgency of her release was directly related to the identity of the person who intervened on her behalf.

These revelations have triggered intense debate and criticism across social media platforms. Many Sierra Leoneans are expressing concern over what appears, based on her own statements, to be a breakdown of standard police and judicial procedures.

Members of the public argue that if these claims are accurate, the issue goes beyond an individual case and poses a serious threat to the credibility of the Sierra Leone Police and the justice system as a whole. Critics stress that no civilian-regardless of family ties, social standing, or wealth-should be able to influence the release of a suspect, particularly in a matter allegedly involving the President of the Republic.

“This is not about defending Mariama Benjie, and it is not about attacking the President,” one commentator noted.

“It is about process, accountability, and equal treatment under the law.”

Concerns have also been raised about perceived inequality in the justice system. Many citizens have previously been detained, charged, and even remanded at Pademba Road Prison for similar or lesser allegations, often without influential figures to intervene on their behalf.

As public scrutiny intensifies, key questions remain unanswered:

Why was Admire Bio able to authorize or influence the release?

Under what legal provision was the release carried out?

Why were standard bail conditions allegedly ignored?

Why was due process not followed?

Observers warn that if police procedures can be overridden by personal influence, it undermines public confidence in law enforcement and threatens the principle of equal justice. Calls are now growing for the Sierra Leone Police to provide a clear and transparent explanation. Many believe that continued silence will only deepen public mistrust.

As the debate continues, citizens and civil society groups are insisting on one fundamental principle: the law must be respected, institutions must be protected, and justice must never be selective