By: Rabiatu Mansaray
On Wednesday, July 10th, 2024, dozens of legal practitioners gathered outside the New Brookfields Hotel from morning until evening, awaiting an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) summoned by Augustine Sorie-Sengbeh Marrah and Wara Serry-Kamal. This meeting was a response to their dissatisfaction with the outcome of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on May 18th, 2024, in Kenema. At that AGM, controversial elections saw Tuma Adama Jabbi elected as President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, along with six other executive members, allegedly facilitated by Anti-Corruption Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala.
Marrah and Serry-Kamal, who contested the legitimacy of the AGM’s results, claimed no valid election took place in Kenema, branding the process a sham. Since then, the newly elected executive led by Jabbi has engaged in official visits and meetings with prominent national figures, including President Julius Maada Bio and the Acting Chief Justice, advocating for reconciliation amidst ongoing dissent.
Despite legal challenges and attempts to secure an injunction, the Wara-Marrah faction, asserting majority membership, continued to contest the legitimacy of the Jabbi-led executive. Their efforts to convene the EGM at the New Brookfields Hotel on July 10th were thwarted by a heavy police presence, preventing access to the venue.
In response to the planned meeting, Alfred Kamanda, Public Relations Officer of the Jabbi executive, urged the hotel to disassociate itself from what he termed as unlawful conduct by Marrah and Serry-Kamal. The hotel, citing procedural concerns and legal advice, indicated that a court injunction would be necessary to prevent the meeting.
Wara Serry-Kamal, standing atop a car at the hotel entrance, addressed her colleagues, apologizing for the disruption caused and accusing the Jabbi executive of abusing power. Augustine Sorie-Sengbeh Marrah reiterated their commitment to legal processes since the Kenema AGM, criticizing the outgoing executive’s failure to heed their calls for an EGM within the stipulated timeframe.
Meanwhile, on July 10th, 2024, a document released under the title “Successful Holding of the Sierra Leone Bar Association Requisitioned Extraordinary General Meeting” announced the removal of the Swallow executive and the establishment of a caretaker board. It also set a date for the 2023 General Meeting, ensuring compliance with procedural requirements.
