Amadu Lamrana Bah is a Sierra Leonean journalist and presenter of a morning show on Truth Radio called “Truth Morning Devotion.” On Friday, October 10, 2025, he discussed the arrest warrant issued for Sierra Leonean musician Natasha Beckley, who is affiliated with the opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC). Bah criticised the manner in which the Sierra Leonean warrants of arrest were issued, following Beckley’s public revelation that she had not been notified or invited for questioning before the warrant was issued. She shared this during interviews on both an online TV station and a radio station.
Bah stated that the Sierra Leonean Police should be fair and treat everyone equally when issuing arrest warrants to foster public trust. He cited the case of Admire Bio, a niece of the President of Sierra Leone, who was accused last year of being involved in the importation of Kush (an illicit substance) but denied the allegations. In her case, the police visited her home to conduct a search and subsequently issued a statement to inform the public of their actions, even holding a press conference afterward.
Bah compared the two cases to highlight the differing ways in which the Sierra Leonean Police handled each matter. Shortly after, Admire Bio went on a live Facebook session to request that Bah produce the police statement regarding the search of her house. Viewers of the live broadcast provided the statement she requested for, which she subsequently confirmed. She then called for Bah to apologise, but he refused, stating that he saw no reason to apologise.
Admire Bio went live on Facebook again the next day (October 11), and the video quickly spread across TikTok and other social media platforms. In that video, a voice believed to be her husband, Dauda Jalloh, was heard threatening Bah, promising that when they returned to town, they would have him “beaten,” using abusive language directed at Bah and referring to him in “vile and unprintable language.”
In response, Bah filed a complaint on October 14, 2025, with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sierra Leone Police. On October 16, 2025, he was contacted by the department and asked to provide the videos containing the threats against him.
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) issued a press release on October 14, 2025, strongly condemning the threats and calling them a “grave attack on press freedom.” They urged the Sierra Leone Police to investigate the matter and protect journalists. SLAJ’s statement referenced Section 11 (on press freedom) and Section 25(1) (freedom of expression) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which guarantees that the press shall be free and protects the right to hold, receive, and impart opinions without interference.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is deeply concerned about threats made against Sierra Leonean journalist Amadu Lamrana Bah and joins SLAJ in condemning the threats and calls on the Sierra Leone Police to take swift action to identify and hold accountable those responsible. The authorities must also ensure that Amadu Lamrana Bah is protected and able to continue his journalistic work without intimidation or fear.
