By Kabs Kanu
Thanks to the fact that the U.S Ambassador Bryan Hunt and other flip- flopping members of the international Community have gone rogue and given President Bio carte blanche to continue his oppressive rule after failing to give Sierra Leoneans the electoral justice they promised them, Bio is getting worse every day now with his dictatorship.
And we did warn them. We told them that letting Maada Bio off the hook will make the illegal President wax worse and act more in impunity.
As it his illegal abolition of Jury Trial and the unlawful dismissal of the auditor General, Lara Taylor Pearce , during the past few days are not enough , President Bio today sent heavily armed troops to Brookfields Hotel in Freetown to barricade the whole facility and stop lawyers from holding their Extraordinary General Meeting.
Today, members of the bar headed for Brookfields Hotel. This EGM was occasioned by the last EGM held in Kenema resulting in the SLPP government blatantly rigging the Sierra Leone Bar Association elections in favour of their party stooge, Mrs. Tuma Jabbie Gento Kamara .
According to the lawyers , this marked ” a consistent pattern of rigging elections in Sierra Leone. ” Aggrieved lawyers scheduled this EGM to possibly elect their own officials but according to them, SLPP police officers had vowed not to allow the proposed EGM to go as planned. And that was what happened today.
As seen in the video below, government troops barricaded Brookfields Hotel to stop the lawyers from meeting.
There was a bitter exchange of words between the lawyers and the troops and as at the time of reporting this story, the lawyers remained stranded outside , with files and documents in their hands.
One lawyer could be heard complaining that it is because of these repressive actions by the SLPP Government that investors are not coming to the country.
There were ugly scenes later as seen in the videos as the uncouth police manhandled some lawyers, including Saidu Bangura, who tried to defy them and bulldoz their way inside. See this video:
The lawyers are however undeterred and are planning to meet by Zoom. Let us how Maada Bio can stop them. READ :
*Our Learned Colleagues*,
Please if you haven’t made it to New Brookfields Hotel for the Extraordinary General Meeting rescheduled for today at 2pm, please stay where you are.
There is heavy police presence here and they’re not allowing anyone to access the premises of the hotel.
We’re proceeding with the meeting virtually. We will share links in about 15 minutes from the stated start time.
*Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah*
*Wara Serry-Kamal*
Esteemed Colleagues,
On this important morning, allow me to take a moment to reflect on all that has happened over the past 3 months. Looking back, to April 11, 2024, I remember the promise and hope I was filled with when I declared my candidacy for the SLBA presidency and remember the joy and support I felt throughout my campaign for the Presidency . I reflect on the countless conversations we shared—each one brimming with passion, dedication and a determination to re-define and re-shape our Association and profession.
Our unity is our strength, and your support and conviction was the heartbeat of my campaign and that support and conviction and our collective will is what has kept me fighting and determined to stand up against injustice and the desecration of everything we hold sacrosanct as lawyers, by a few rogue individuals in Kenema.
We are at a crossroads, at a pivotal moment for the Sierra Leone Bar Association. This EGM isn’t just about righting a wrong ; it’s about re-charting the direction we will take to enhance our profession and elevate our impact on the justice system. We are advocates not only for our clients but also for each other, and for the standards of fairness and integrity that our society relies upon.
We are all committed to a Bar Association that embodies our highest ideals—where every member feels supported, where our collective voice is strong, and where our actions resonate throughout Sierra Leone. Our country is looking at us, and we must continue to be courageous. We must not allow our course to be changed and ourselves distracted. Let us peacefully assemble and conduct the business of the EGM. Let us not allow chaos or anyone to cast a shawdow on our EGM. Let us focus on task at hand, adopt our resolutions and nurture a culture that embraces all of our members in our SLBA.
Come to New Brookfield’s Hotel today at 2pm and join us in changing the course of history of the SLBA. Let us all embrace this opportunity to make a lasting impact—shoulder to shoulder, as colleagues and as friends.
Together, we will forge a future as formidable as our ideals.
Yours in service,
Wara
#Reclaimourvoice
# Wedaefixyah