Freetown – In a landmark decision aimed at ensuring transparency in the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA), the High Court has directed the association’s leadership to publish a comprehensive list of fully paid-up members by July 29, 2026, paving the way for the long-postponed Annual General Meeting and executive elections.
Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba issued the orders Thursday morning in Miscellaneous Application 125/26. The ruling stems from a suit filed by SLBA member Ebunoluwa Tengbe against the association and its current executive, citing the Companies Act 2009 and the SLBA’s own governing documents.
Named as defendants were the SLBA, President Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara, Vice President Sidique Tommy, General Secretary Alfred Paul Juwah, Assistant General Secretary Abubakarr Sidique Kamara, Treasurer Sotto Kobba, Assistant Treasurer Yoko Mahiteh Brewah, Public Relations Officer Alfred Kamanda, and Rokel Commercial Bank (SL) Limited.
Counsel A.S. Lansana represented the plaintiff, while I.F. Sawaneh appeared for the defendants and opposed the application.
Strict Verification Rules Imposed
Justice Ngegba’s orders set clear parameters for the upcoming meeting:
– The executive must publish the full list of members who have paid registration, subscription, and conference fees — making them eligible to participate in the AGM — no later than July 29.
– Voter eligibility will be determined solely through bank payment slips for transactions made on or before the May 29, 2026 deadline.
– Elections for the new executive must adhere strictly to the provisions of the SLBA’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.
– Access to the AGM venue will be granted exclusively on the basis of verified bank payment slips; no alternative forms of verification will be accepted.
– The executive must also provide the plaintiff and all members with the association’s audited financial statements and bank records covering May 1, 2024, to June 1, 2026, by July 30, 2026.
The Originating Summons was filed on June 10, 2026, supported by an affidavit from Tengbe.
Background of Tensions
The ruling arrives amid growing frustration over the SLBA’s delayed AGM, which was originally slated for early June. A high-stakes contest for the presidency is underway between incumbent Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara and challenger Martina Baindu Egbenda.
Some members had voiced concerns about alleged delays and inconsistencies in verifying subscription payments and compiling an accurate voters’ register. The court’s intervention establishes firm deadlines and uniform standards to restore confidence in the process.
A certified true copy of the order was issued shortly after the ruling by the Master and Registrar.
The SLBA executive now operates under tight timelines. Legal observers and association members will be closely monitoring compliance in the coming days as the association moves toward what could be a pivotal leadership transition.
