KENEMA – What started as a chieftaincy-related dispute in Pendembu has now landed 62 people behind bars, after they were remanded by the Kenema Magistrate’s Court for their alleged role in disturbances targeting the Paramount Chief.
The accused persons appeared before Magistrate Hadiru Daboh of Court No. 1 in Kenema on two separate dates, in connection with violent incidents reported in Pendembu, Kailahun District, on 16th and 17th October 2026.
Pendembu, a key commercial town in Upper Bambara Chiefdom, has been gripped by tension in recent weeks over issues of local authority and respect for traditional leadership. Residents say the unrest escalated when groups of youths reportedly marched on premises linked to the Paramount Chief, leading to alleged break-ins, theft and destruction of property.
Police moved in and arrested dozens, leading to the current court action which is being seen as a major test of how the state balances traditional authority and public order.
In court, prosecutors brought two sets of charges.
On 20th October, 17 persons were charged with *housebreaking and larceny* contrary to Section 26(1) of the Larceny Act 1916, and malicious damage contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861. Magistrate Daboh remanded them pending committal proceedings to determine if the case should go to the High Court.
A week later, on 27th October, another 45 persons were charged with *riotous conduct* under Section 12(1) of the Public Order Act 1965. They were also remanded, with their case to be tried summarily before the Magistrate.
State Counsels S.I. Davies and S.I. Watta Bakarr are prosecuting, while S. B. E. Sesay Esq. is defending all 62 accused.
The mass remand underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating the Pendembu incident. In Sierra Leone, Paramount Chiefs are custodians of custom, land and local justice, and any attack on their person or property is treated as an attack on lawful authority. At the same time, the large number of accused, mostly young men from the township, has raised concerns among families and human rights observers.
The court has stressed that the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that the prosecution must prove each person’s individual role in the unrest.
The matter has been adjourned, with further hearings expected to shed more light on what truly triggered the Pendembu chieftaincy unrest.
