There have been sleepless nights for opponents and critics of PC Foday Manso Koroma III since he was controversially elected Paramount Chief of Nieni Chiefdom in the Northern District of Koinadugu in January 2024, according to sources.

Even at the time of writing this news article, three farmers have left the Chiefdom because they said their rights to safety are being threatened by the Paramount Chief.

“We’re not safe here anymore, our human rights are violated by the Paramount Chief,” they said.

The Chief is allegedly using the Local Courts and Sub Chiefs to intimidate opponents and critics. PC Foday Manso Koroma is the uncle of Umaro Napoleon Koroma, the current Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and National Secretary General of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party. Report says he’s bragging that nothing will come out of his actions as long as his nephew, Umaro Napoleon Koroma’s Party is in power.

Marred by a series of irregularities, the elections that brought PC Foday Manso Koroma to power were bloody and allegedly rigged. In fact, live gunshots were reportedly fired preventing majority of the Tribal Authorities from voting.

Just after the disputed elections, the Paramount Chief allegedly started hunting critics and opponents. The Chief, residents said has weaponised the Local Courts in the Chiefdom to punish those he consider critics.

“As I’m talking to you now, we have been forced to leave our village because the Paramount Chief is using the Local Court No 1 and the Chairman to suppress us,” Sheku Jalloh, a resident of Sawuria village said over the phone during an interview.

Jalloh and two others, Ibrahim Jawara and Foday Jalloh have fled the Chiefdom and are currently living in Freetown for safety. The three Cocoa farmers said they were forced to leave their families and hometown because they could no longer withstand the persistent intimidation and suppression against them by the Paramount Chief and his Sub Chiefs.

Immediately after the Paramount Chief was declared winner of Nieni Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy elections, the men left their home town of Sawuria for Yiffin, the headquarters of the Chiefdom because they weren’t only insulted and attacked but they were seen as traitors because of their loyalty to Robert Yirah Balla Koroma, the main challenger of the now Paramount Chief

Their situation worsened when they received “Summon Papers” from Nieni Chiefdom Local Court No 1 accusing them of inciting and provoking the sitting Paramount Chief. The men denied any wrongdoing.

According to the three victims, the Court is now demanding that each and everyone of them must pay NLE 700, and take along a cow, goats, hundred cola nuts, a “bata” of palm oil and other items as fine.

“We were surprised that the Local Court Chairman is demanding such huge sums of money and items that we couldn’t provide because we’re poor farmers,” the three victims said.

The farmers said there were several attempts by the authorities to arrest them because they couldn’t afford to pay all of the fine. One of their brothers who stands as surety they said was arrested, detained and fined.

During a telephone interview, the Paramount Chief denied the allegation. The Chief called his accusers lawless citizens who want to undermine his leadership. The three farmers, he said are bent on disrespecting and provoking him. As Chief, he said he’s going to use the laws of the land to punish them.

Responding to the allegation, the Local Court No 1 Chairman, Tamba Koroma said the farmers haven’t attended his Court since they were summoned for incitement and provoking the sitting Paramount Chief. He denied any allegation of harassment and suppression.

Nieni, a Chiefdom in the heartland of the Kuranko is not at ease as a result of the outcome of the last Paramount Chieftaincy elections.