Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a significant legal development, Magistrate Mustapha Brima-Jah of Pademba Road Court No. 1 has formally discharged Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer from charges of obstructing police duty and disorderly behavior.
The decision came after the State withdrew the case during a hearing on January 27, 2026.
State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay submitted a discontinuance notice signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Osman I. Kanu, effectively halting the proceedings. The charges against Mayor Aki-Sawyer originated from an alleged incident at the Airport Police Division in Lungi, where she was accused of interfering with officers amid a dispute involving a councillor.
The mayor faced two counts: obstruction of police duty under Section 39 of the Police Act, 1964, and disorderly behavior under Section 12(b) of the Public Order Act, 1965, as amended in 1973. The case, which began drawing public scrutiny in 2023, experienced delays due to defense challenges, including subpoenas for witnesses requested by lead counsel Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara.
Prosecutors closed their case in April 2023, presenting evidence such as police officer testimonies and video footage. However, upon reviewing the discontinuance notice under Section 66(4)(c) and (5) of Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution, Magistrate Brima-Jah ruled in favor of discharging the matter, declaring Mayor Aki-Sawyer cleared of all accusations.
This ruling concludes a protracted and closely watched trial, representing a major win for the Freetown mayor and potentially easing tensions in local governance circles.
In September 2022, at Sierra Leone’s Lungi International Airport, Freetown City Councillor Sheku Turay was arrested without a warrant just before boarding a flight to New York with Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer for a Gates Foundation event. The detention was linked to August 2022 protests in Freetown, but critics alleged it was politically motivated by the ruling SLPP government to undermine the opposition APC-affiliated mayor, amid rivalries including jealousy over her international profile.
Aki-Sawyer intervened at the Airport Police Division, recording a Facebook Live video decrying the arrest as an abuse of power and democratic erosion. This led to her being charged in October 2022 with obstructing police duty and disorderly behavior. The high-profile trial, marked by defense challenges and delays, saw the prosecution close its case in April 2023, relying on officer testimonies and video evidence.
Viewed as selective harassment targeting opposition figures, the case highlighted Sierra Leone’s polarized politics. Charges were withdrawn by the state on January 27, 2026, resulting in Aki-Sawyer’s full discharge.
