Announcements

Guinean authorities have formally cleared Sierra Leone’s former Ambassador to Guinea, Alimamy Bangura of any criminal involvement in a high-profile drug investigation that has drawn public attention since early 2025.

The update came during the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press conference held on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, where Minister Chernor Bah provided detailed clarifications on the matter and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Addressing the media, Minister Bah revealed that Guinean law enforcement had concluded their investigation into the case involving a Sierra Leone Embassy utility vehicle intercepted in Conakry with suspected illicit substances.

He explained that the individuals apprehended in the vehicle had been charged to court in Guinea but emphasized that “the Guinean authorities have cleared the former Ambassador of any criminal involvement. His recall by President Julius Maada Bio was a matter of discretion, not disciplinary action.”

The controversy dates back to January 2025, when Guinean customs officials impounded an embassy utility vehicle after discovering seven suitcases containing what appeared to be illicit drugs, alongside cash and mobile phones. The vehicle’s driver and another occupant were immediately arrested and later charged in court, prompting a wave of speculation in both Guinea and Sierra Leone about the possible involvement of diplomatic personnel.

The incident quickly became a subject of international scrutiny, with commentators questioning whether diplomatic immunity or oversight had created loopholes for criminal exploitation. Sierra Leone’s government, under pressure to safeguard its diplomatic integrity, launched an internal review while cooperating with Guinean investigators to ensure full transparency and due process.

Minister Bah stressed that the government’s priority was to protect Sierra Leone’s reputation abroad while allowing justice to take its course. “The conclusion of the Guinean investigation affirms that Ambassador Bangura was not in any way complicit,” he said. The outcome, he added, reinforces the government’s zero-tolerance approach to criminal activity and its commitment to maintaining integrity within the country’s diplomatic missions.