The Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) has indefinitely postponed its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections after the association’s executive said lawyers were prevented from accessing the Bintumani International Conference Centre, where the event was scheduled to take place.
The disruption has deepened divisions within the legal community, with the incident coming after weeks of disputes over the conduct of the Bar’s electoral process.
SLBA President Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara questioned the police action, asking why the entrance to the Bintumani complex was barricaded and why the AGM was postponed without a court order.
The SLBA executive said lawyers who had gathered for the meeting were unable to enter the venue, forcing the suspension of the event.
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Sylvester Koroma, Regional Commander for Freetown West, later announced that the AGM would not proceed, telling those present that the postponement was due to “circumstances beyond our control”.
The exact circumstances that led to the disruption remain unclear.
SLBA Public Relations Officer Alfred Kamanda said he and other members of the executive were among those prevented from entering the conference hall.
In a post on Facebook, Kamanda wrote: “There is no court injunction, yet they have still prevented us from accessing the venue of the Sierra Leone Bar Association AGM. This is how power is abused.”
He alleged that the government had interfered in the association’s electoral process in an attempt to influence the outcome in favour of one of the presidential candidates, Martina Baindu Egbenda.
Kamanda did not provide evidence to support the allegation. There was no immediate public response from the government or the Sierra Leone Police.
The current dispute comes two years after Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara was elected President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association during the association’s 2024 Elective Congress in Kenema.
Gento-Kamara defeated other contenders, including Augustine Sorie Marrah, and assumed leadership of the 2024–2026 executive.
However, the period following that election has been marked by divisions within the legal community, with competing groups emerging over the direction and leadership of the Bar.
A group of lawyers associated with Marrah later formed the Lawyers Society, which has criticised aspects of the Bar’s administration and raised concerns about the independence of the association. The group has also previously accused the government of interfering in the Bar’s affairs in favour of the current leadership, allegations that have not been independently verified.
Following Friday’s developments, the Lawyers Society appeared to react through its official X account, posting a biblical message: “The LORD will fight for you, while you hold your peace.”
The post did not directly mention the AGM postponement but came amid heightened tensions surrounding the association’s electoral process.
The controversy has also triggered public debate among members of the legal profession. In publicly shared videos, some lawyers were heard saying, “what’s good for the goose must be good for the gander,” a phrase commonly used to suggest that similar standards should apply to all sides.
The remarks appeared to reflect perceptions among some lawyers about changing dynamics between the Bar leadership and state authorities, although the nature of any such relationship has not been independently established.
The election preparations had already faced legal and administrative challenges before Friday’s disruption.
The AGM, originally scheduled for June, was later moved to 31 July and 1 August. Lawyer Ebunoluwa Tengbeh challenged aspects of the process in court, leading to a High Court order directing the Bar Association to publish a verified register of eligible voters and audited financial statements before the AGM.
The court also directed that the elections should be conducted in accordance with the association’s constitution.
The incumbent SLBA executive also disagreed with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice over issues relating to the AGM, with President Gento-Kamara maintaining that the Bar Association is an independent professional body governed by its constitution.
It remains unclear when the AGM and elections will be rescheduled.
