By Emma Black

The election petition challenging Alfred Sovula Gbandoma’s chieftaincy candidacy resumed on Thursday, April 3, 2025, before Justice Alfred Tommy Ganda at the Freetown High Court, Guma Building. Abubakarr Kamara, Provincial Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government, testified in response to questions from the petitioner’s lawyer, B.J. Ruffle, regarding chieftaincy election procedures.

The case, rooted in Section 13 of the Chieftaincy Act of 2009, pits petitioner Sakpa Jibao Gbekpa against Gbandoma, questioning the legitimacy of the Gbandoma election. Gbekpa filed the petition against the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (first respondent), the Provincial Secretary’s Office in Bo (second respondent), and Gbandoma (third respondent). a court injunction currently bars any chiefdom activities pending a final ruling.

Kamara, a civil servant based in Bo’s Southern Region, appeared under a subpoena dated March 24, 2025. Asked by Ruffle about the declaration of rights process in Bumbeh District Chiefdom, Kamara confirmed his presence as the declaration officer. He explained that his role involves overseeing candidate declarations, after which he compiles a joint report with councillors and tribal authorities. Shown Exhibit C10, he identified it as his declaration report.

Kamara affirmed his familiarity with the Chieftaincy Act, noting its strict rules. He testified that candidates must clearly present their eligibility to councillors, tribal authorities, section chiefs, and the provincial secretary. During the declaration, Gbandoma was among the contestants, but Madam Irini Labor objected, claiming Gbandoma was ineligible

because his late grandfather was not a paramount chief and the Gbandoma ruling house never existed. Kamara stated that such objections are noted, investigated, and reported on by the declaration team.

The process, he added, was video-recorded and widely shared on social media. He outlined procedural rules, including uninterrupted candidate statements and voting on objections per Section 13(3) of the Act. Another objection, raised by Joe Cobber, targeted a different candidate, not Gbandoma.

To verify Labor’s claims, Kamara consulted Ansu Gbandoma, who produced a 2002 receipt asserting that their grandfather, Joe Lansana Gbandoma, was a paramount chief. When Ruffle pressed for further documentation, Kamara explained that the building housing

Such records had burned down, leaving only the 2002 receipt, justice Ganda interjected, noting that receipts can be fabricated and suggesting archives as an alternative source.

Ruffle then presented Kamara’s declaration report, titled Joint Report for the Declaration of Rights, dated August 7, 2024 despite the ceremony occurring on September 7, 2024. Kamara admitted the date was an error, insisting the report was prepared post-declaration. He added that a gazetted candidate list was published three times following the process.

Kamara faced further questioning from Lawyer E. Sarkoh (representing the second respondent, his office), confirming Labor’s sole objection to Gbandoma’s lineage and eligibility. Lawyer B.T. Cummings, for the Electoral Commission,

elicited that the candidate list was publicly displayed after declaration.

The matter was adjourned to May 7, 2025.