Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay, has formally directed the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) to immediately announce a definite date for its Annual General Meeting (AGM), arguing that the association’s decision to postpone the meeting indefinitely lacks a legal basis and raises serious concerns about governance and compliance with the law.

In a letter dated 2 June 2026 and addressed to the President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, the Attorney General said the issues surrounding the postponement of the AGM strike at the core of the rule of law, professional integrity, and democratic accountability within the legal profession.

Writing in his capacity as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as well as theTitular Head of the Sierra Leone Bar, Sesay stated that the matter goes beyond routine administrative concerns and touches on fundamental questions of legality and governance within the association.

According to the letter, the current executive of the Sierra Leone Bar Association assumed office on 17 May 2024 and, under Article 20 of the association’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, its two-year tenure expired on 17 May 2026.

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The Attorney General noted that Article 22 permits only the President of the association to remain in office until a successor is elected, describing the provision as a limited holdover mechanism intended solely to ensure continuity during a brief transitional period. He argued that the provision does not grant indefinite authority to an executive whose mandate has already expired.

“In law, the current Executive is therefore a caretaker body, restricted to routine administrative functions and incapable of making substantive corporate decisions,” the letter stated.

Sesay further questioned the legality of the association’s announcement on 1 June 2026 postponing the AGM indefinitely. He cited Section 185(1) of the Companies Act, 2009, which requires every company to hold an Annual General Meeting each year and stipulates that no more than fifteen months should elapse between successive meetings.

He maintained that an indefinite postponement is effectively equivalent to cancelling the AGM and therefore constitutes a breach of the statutory requirement.

The Attorney General also argued that the outgoing executive lacks the authority to indefinitely postpone the AGM, extend its own tenure, alter governance arrangements, or commit the association to substantive decisions. He stated that such actions can only be taken through an order of the High Court or by a resolution of the membership at a properly constituted general meeting.

Based on these considerations, Sesay directed that a definite date for the AGM be announced immediately. He asserted that the AGM belongs to the membership rather than the executive and that members alone have the authority to determine whether elections should take place at that meeting or at a later date, as well as to decide broader governance matters affecting the association.

In the letter, the Attorney General called on the outgoing executive to withdraw the notice postponing the AGM indefinitely and to formally communicate a specific date for the meeting. He also urged the executive to notify all members through available channels that the AGM will proceed as scheduled.

Sesay stressed that compliance with the directives is a legal obligation, arguing that the Bar Association cannot effectively champion the rule of law in the courts and public discourse while allegedly failing to uphold similar standards within its own institution.

“The future governance of the Association rests exclusively with its membership, assembled in General Meeting,” the Attorney General wrote.

He further noted that several legal and constitutional options remain available to ensure compliance with the Companies Act, the association’s governing documents, and the rule of law.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Deputy Minister of Justice, the Solicitor General, the Executive Director of the National Investment Board, and the Chairman of the General Legal Council.

As of the date of the letter, the Sierra Leone Bar Association had not publicly responded to the Attorney General’s directives contained in the correspondence.