By Fatima Kpaka
Sierra Leone – January 27, 2026 – Magistrate Mustapha Brima-Jah of Pademba Road Court No. 1 has formally discharged Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer of charges relating to obstruction of police duty and disorderly behavior, following the withdrawal of the case by the State.
During Tuesday’s hearing, State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay presented a discontinuance notice signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Osman I. Kanu, directing that the matter be dropped.
Mayor Aki-Sawyer had been standing trial on 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 charges stemmed from an alleged incident at the Airport Police Division in Lungi, where she was accused of obstructing officers during a dispute involving a councillor.
Lead defence counsel, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, had earlier challenged the allegations and sought subpoenas for witnesses, which contributed to delays in the proceedings in 2023. The prosecution closed its case in April 2023, relying on evidence already tendered, including testimony from police officers and video footage.
After reviewing the discontinuance notice, Magistrate Brima-Jah stated that he had carefully considered the submission made pursuant to Section 66(4)(c) and (5) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. He subsequently ordered that the matter be discharged, ruling that Mayor Aki-Sawyer was cleared of all charges.
The ruling brings to an end a high-profile case that had drawn public attention since its commencement, marking a significant legal victory for the Mayor of Freetown.