By Dadson A. Musa
The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, in a long awaited ruling, has given the go- ahead to tennis activities in Sierra Leone once again. The Sierra Leone Tennis Association which has been in court over the last few years and has had a negative impact on tennis activities, has now been laid to rest.
Kelvin Kelly, after heading the association for two full terms, attempted “to change the constitution and run for a third term.” This was stoutly rejected by some members of the association on the grounds that “it is against the constitution for anyone to run for three terms.” The High Court of Sierra Leone, presided over by Hon. Justice Momoja Stevens, had earlier ruled that as long as the former president, Kelvin Kelly, had run for two consecutive terms, elections must be held for new executive to take over the running of the affairs of lawn tennis in Sierra Leone.
So elections were held last year in August at the YSC sport complex at Wilkinson road in Freetown. Andy Bam was elected president. Other executive positions were contested and people were voted in. The election was contested by Kelvin Kelly on the grounds that he should go for a third term when the constitution said contrary.
And Justice Momoja’ s ruling was appealed by Kelvin Kelly at the country’s highest court in the land, supreme court. Five judges empaneled the hearing and in a landmark ruling, Andy Bam’s election stands “and Kelvin Kelly has no business running tennis activities in Sierra Leone”.
This ruling came on Tuesday, 21st May 2023. It is a five-page ruling which gives Andy Bam and his executive the locus standing to go ahead with the running of tennis activities in Sierra Leone. And in a follow up activity from the supreme court ‘s ruling, Alfred Amadu Gbonda Esq., the newly elected Secretary General of the association has written to the outgone president to do a timely handing over of office effective immediately.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, May 24th , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
