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Principal Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah has given defence lawyers one week to file a no-case submission in the long-running trial of former APC National Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya, warning that the case cannot drag on indefinitely.
The ruling came during Thursday’s sitting at Pademba Road Court No. 1, where lead defence lawyer Africanus Sesay requested additional time and apologised for Dumbuya’s absence from the previous hearing.
State prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay did not oppose the request but stressed the need for closure. “There must be an end to litigation,” he told the court.
Magistrate Jah expressed clear frustration with the case’s duration. “This matter has taken quite a long time in my court,” he said, adding that “justice delayed is justice denied.“
The magistrate warned that if the defence is unprepared when proceedings resume on September 17, 2026, Dumbuya must either open his defence or the court will rule based on the evidence already presented.
Dumbuya faces three counts under the Public Order Act of 1965: incitement, using insulting language, and behaving in an insulting manner.
The charges stem from a speech delivered on January 31, 2026, at the Brima Attouga Mini Stadium. Prosecutors allege Dumbuya encouraged supporters to call President Julius Maada Bio a “thief,” directed insulting words at ASP Francis Momodu Tommy, and led the crowd in chants against the President.
The case has drawn public attention due to the political tensions surrounding it. Dumbuya’s legal team maintains the charges are politically motivated and insists their client is entitled to a fair trial without unnecessary delays.
The matter returns to court on September 17.
