The Court of Appeal in Freetown has extended an interim injunction against Koidu Limited, a subsidiary of the Octéa Group, following legal action initiated by the Marginalized Affected Property Owners (MAPO) with support from the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) and its legal partner, Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA).

The injunction, originally granted on Thursday, July 17, 2025, prohibits the company from selling, disposing of, or otherwise alienating its assets. This extension, now running through Monday, July 28, 2025, aims to protect the interests of affected communities in Tankoro Chiefdom, Kono District, who have accused the mining giant of environmental degradation, displacement, and failure to compensate them for losses.

The case is being pursued through the law firm C&J Partners on behalf of MAPO, working closely with NMJD and ACA. Monday’s hearing converted the injunction into an inter partes motion, enabling both parties to present oral or electronic arguments. The company’s counsel informed the court of related pending injunctions and requested to serve supporting documents via affidavit. The applicants’ lawyers are expected to respond accordingly.

Koidu Limited, owned by BSG Resources through Octéa, has been operating diamond mining projects in Kono District. However, residents claim that the operations have poisoned water sources, buried farmlands in rubble, and shaken homes with frequent blasting. These conditions have triggered widespread health issues, including respiratory complications, skin diseases, and psychological stress.

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“We used to live in peace, but now we are sick, our farms are gone, and our homes shake every day,” said Prince Boima, Chairman of MAPO. “We have been left to suffer while the company strips everything and walks away.”

Despite assurances of relocation and compensation, many community members say they have been either inadequately relocated or completely ignored. With the mining site now reportedly shut down and stripped of valuable machinery leaving only a power plant under police guard residents fear that the company may liquidate assets and exit without accountability. Rumors of a possible sale to unknown investors have further heightened concerns.

This prompted MAPO, with support from NMJD and ACA, to seek and secure the freezing of the company’s assets to ensure that there would be resources available to satisfy any future judgment in the community’s favor.

The case has garnered attention as a potential turning point in the fight for corporate accountability in Sierra Leone’s mining sector. NMJD, a Sierra Leonean civil society organization, and ACA, a Ghana-based legal advocacy group coordinating the Public Interest Lawyering Network for West Africa (PILIWA), are providing strategic legal and technical support to the affected communities.

“This case is not just about Koidu,” an NMJD representative noted. “It’s about ensuring that no community is left voiceless or powerless in the face of resource exploitation.”

As the legal proceedings continue, communities in Kono and across Sierra Leone watch closely, hoping the outcome will mark a new chapter for justice and dignity in the country’s resource-rich but often underserved regions.