FREETOWN, 9th October 2026 – Former President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Thomas Daddy Brima, has been released on bail from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Freetown.
Brima was arrested yesterday, Thursday 9th October 2026, at the Magburaka Boys School in Tonkolili District while on official duty.
According to sources, Brima was in Magburaka in his capacity as a senior staff of the National Sports Authority (NSA) or as part of an inspection team for school and youth sports infrastructure, when plainclothes officers effected the arrest.
He was subsequently transported to Freetown and detained at the CID headquarters on Pademba Road.
Police sources have not yet disclosed the exact nature of the allegations leading to his arrest, but his detention comes amid longstanding controversies surrounding football administration in Sierra Leone.
Thomas Daddy Brima served as SLFA President from June 2021 to July 2025, after defeating former player and coach Rodney Michael in a highly contested elective congress. His tenure was marked by disputes with sections of the football family, FIFA interventions, and issues over financial management and accountability.
He was succeeded by the current SLFA leadership following the 2025 congress.
He was granted bail late Friday morning after making a statement to police investigators. The terms of his bail and whether he will be required to report back to the CID are not yet clear.
The Sierra Leone Police and the NSA are yet to issue an official statement on the arrest and release.
