By Sulaiman Jalloh

Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah Esq. and Wara Serry-Kamal Esq., two presidential candidates in the recent election of the Sierra Leone Bar Association on 18^th May, 2024, in Kenema district, have rejected the election results, calling for fresh election to be conducted.

The two lawyers, who were speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, May 21^st, 2024, at the Brooksfields hotel in Freetown, claimed that Francis Ben Kelfala Esq., the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission boss who presided over the said election, was not legitimate to have presided over the Bar election, saying the outcome of the election does not represent the will of paid-up members of the Bar.

“The purported appointment of Francis Kaifala, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, as Returning Officer, despite objection of his nomination on the grounds of conflict of interest” the defeated lawyers narrated, stressing that the omission of Julius Nye Cuffie and the alleged refusal to allow some members of the association to vote undermine the democratic process they seek to uphold.

“The events at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the Sierra Leone Bar Association held in Kenema represent a grave assault on the principles of democracy, transparency, and integrity that the association is found upon” the aggrieved lawyers stated, adding the actions and inactions of the Board of Directors at the AGM that led to the declaration of a ‘purported’ executives that were not duly elected, are not only illegal but also troubling.

According to them, prior to the AGM and the date for the election they had filed applications in court aimed at ensuring greater participation of its members, early publication and verification of voters’ list among others. “We, Augustine S. Marrah and Wara Serry-Kamal through letters addressed to the outgoing president of the Bar, proposed a meeting with the directors of the association. The purpose was to discuss and outline a clear pathway for the electoral process” they underscored, but saying the president declined their proposed meeting.

However, they call lawyers to join their call and for the right thing to be done.

  Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, May 24^th , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)