APC’s JFK Criticizes Bar Association Presidency, Labels Leadership “Illegal”

All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer aspirant Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, popularly known as JFK, has publicly questioned the legality of the current leadership of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, describing the presidency under Tuma Jabbie as “illegal.”

Kamara made the statement during a live broadcast when he was asked whether he attended the Bar Association’s recent dinner and dance night. While responding to the question, he confirmed that he had been invited to the event but chose not to attend. He then used the opportunity to raise broader concerns about the association’s leadership.

“Yes I was invited but I didn’t show up,” Kamara said during the programme. He went further to state, “Yes I am siding the lawyers society, simply because the current Bar association executive is illegal.”

The comments shifted the discussion from a social event to a direct challenge of the legitimacy of the Bar Association’s executive leadership. The hosts of the programme did not press Kamara to explain the legal basis of his claim, and no additional details were provided during the broadcast to support or clarify the allegation.

Kamara’s assertion places focus on the governance of the Sierra Leone Bar Association and raises questions that may require a public response from the association and its leadership. Claims that a professional body’s presidency is unlawful can affect confidence among members and the wider public, particularly given the Bar Association’s role in upholding legal standards in the country.

Allegations of illegality in the leadership of an association are typically linked to issues such as alleged irregularities in the election process, questions surrounding eligibility, or noncompliance with constitutional or procedural rules governing the body.

Establishing the validity of such claims would ordinarily require documentary evidence, including election records, official minutes, relevant bylaws, or a formal complaint raised through internal mechanisms or the courts.

As of the time of this report, the Sierra Leone Bar Association has not issued a public response to Kamara’s statement made during the live broadcast. Observers note that clarity and transparency from all sides would help address the concerns raised and maintain confidence in the association’s governance.

Kamara, a senior lawyer and prominent political figure within the APC, did not provide further explanation beyond his on-air remarks. His comments, however, have brought renewed public attention to the leadership of the Sierra Leone Bar Association and may prompt calls from members of the legal community for clarification or formal review.