Zainab Sheriff, a flagbearer aspirant of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) and chairperson of the “Wi Duti Lappa” movement, remains in detention after being charged with “incitement and threatening language” over remarks she is alleged to have made at an APC gathering in Freetown.
“Wi Duti Lappa,” loosely translated from Krio as “our duty cloth” or “our shared responsibility,” is a civic movement founded by Zainab Sheriff (who is also a model and musician) that promotes women’s empowerment and advocates for greater female representation in Sierra Leonean politics, including the emergence of a female presidential candidate in the 2028 elections.
Sheriff was declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police on February 13, 2026, following statements she is alleged to have made on January 31, 2026, during a major opposition meeting at the Brima Attouga Mini Stadium in Freetown. Authorities considered the remarks to constitute incitement and threatening language under Section 30(1) of the Public Order Act of 1965. The incident also prompted the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) to suspend and fine the APC.
During interviews with journalists at the gathering, Sheriff is alleged to have stated that anyone who rigs an election has stolen the people’s vote and should be killed because such an act constitutes treason. She also alleged that the president “is a rigger.” Sheriff later reiterated these statements during an interview on Liberty TV.
A warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest. On February 20, 2026, police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested Sheriff in Freetown outside the Royal Fitness Gym and Lor Restaurant. She was charged with incitement and threatening language under the Public Order Act and taken into custody.
Since her arrest, Sheriff has appeared in court four times. Her first appearance took place on February 23, 2026, before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1 in Freetown. She pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the court denied her bail request and ordered her remanded in custody.
She returned to court on February 26, 2026, when her lawyers renewed the bail application. The magistrate again refused bail and ordered that she remain at the Female Correctional Facility at Pademba Road Prison. Sheriff made a third appearance on March 5, 2026, when the defence again sought bail, but the prosecution opposed the request and the court denied the bail. At her fourth appearance on March 11, 2026, the magistrate once more rejected the bail application and ordered that she remain in custody while proceedings continue.
Sheriff’s case has drawn attention because of similar remarks made at the same political gathering by APC Secretary-General Lansana Dumbuya. Dumbuya was also arrested and charged with incitement and insulting conduct against the president.
However, while Dumbuya was granted bail five days after being remanded at the Pademba Road Maximum Correctional Centre following his first court appearance on February 13, 2026, Sheriff has repeatedly been denied bail despite facing comparable allegations arising from the same political event.
The continued detention of Sheriff has prompted reactions from civil society and women’s rights groups. The 50/50 Group, an organisation advocating for women’s political participation in Sierra Leone, has called on the judiciary to grant Sheriff bail. The group argues that the law generally presumes bail for offences that do not involve serious crimes such as murder or treason.
The organisation warned that the prolonged detention of a woman political figure could undermine public confidence in the justice system and discourage women’s participation in politics. The Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ) has also demanded her release, stressing that justice should be administered fairly and without unnecessary delay.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) calls for the equal and fair application of the law and urges the authorities to respect constitutional protections of freedom of expression. The organisation further urges the court to grant bail where no compelling legal grounds justify continued detention and to ensure that judicial proceedings uphold the presumption of innocence.
