Lansana Dumbuya, General Secretary of the All People’s Congress (APC), has responded critically to recent statements made by Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh regarding the status of detainees.

Dumbuya claims there are discrepancies in the information provided by the government and accuses Dr. Sengeh of misleading the public.

In a statement, Dumbuya highlighted inconsistencies in the list of detainees’ locations and statuses provided by the Director of Prisons.

“Based on the APC list of detainees re Resolution 4(a), the Director of Prisons presented details of detainees’ current locations and status. In verifying that information, we have noticed discrepancies in the list submitted. The Chief Minister’s information to the public is misleading,” Dumbuya wrote.

This dispute follows a recent update on Resolution 4 of the Agreement for National Unity. Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency, stating, “As a Government, we have always committed ourselves to transparency in implementing the resolutions in the Agreement for National Unity we signed with the All Peoples Congress (APC). As Chief Negotiator for the Government, I get regular updates which I have a responsibility to share with the public.”

Dr. Sengeh detailed the implementation of Resolution 3 and provided an update on Resolution 4, which focuses on reviewing cases of individuals detained for allegedly politically motivated reasons. According to Dr. Sengeh, out of the 318 individuals listed by the APC, the review found:

15 people on the list are currently in custody.
108 escaped from detention during the failed coup attempt on November 26, 2023.
3 military officers alleged to be part of the coup were released and reinstated after investigations.
53 individuals served jail terms unrelated to elections and have been released.
65 individuals were discharged after paying court-ordered fines unrelated to elections.
14 individuals were released on bail.
51 names on the list were never in custody.
9 names were duplicated.

“This is what we mean when we say we will govern with an open book,” Dr. Sengeh asserted. “President Bio expects transparency, accountability, and direct engagement with our people who we serve. It is why we believe that together #WeWillDeliver.”

Reflecting on his first year in office, Dr. Sengeh noted key achievements, including the handover of the Cross-Party Committee on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review Report and the establishment of a coordination structure to implement the Tripartite Report on Electoral Systems and Management Bodies Review.

A historic agreement featuring about 80 shared recommendations was signed on July 1, 2024, and presented to President Dr. Julius Maada Bio by Dr. Samura Kamara, Leader of the Opposition APC Party, and Chief Minister Moinina David Sengeh.