Post a comment
What many consider a legal battle for the control of Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, has taken a U-turn after three of the alleged petitioners have denied having knowledge of an ongoing petition case brought against the newly elected Paramount Chief of Kholifa Mabang.
It could be recalled that a petition was recently filed against Kholifa Mabang newly elected Paramount Chief by five of the candidates that contested against him. Imran Kamara was elected Paramount Chief of that Chiefdom on October 26th 2024.
According to the petition papers from the High Court, Abdul Balie Kamara, Mohamed Raka Kamara, John Speedo Kamara, Patrick Kamara and Augustine Mohamed Kamara are the petitioners challenging the newly elected Paramount Chief, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, Provincial Secretary of Northeast region and the District Officer of Tonkolili District that the elections conducted on October 26th 2024 in Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom were not credible and marred with a plethora of irregularities.
The petitioners were asking the Court to stop the authorities from swearing in Imran Kamara as the Paramount Chief of Kholifa Mabang pending the hearing of the said court matter.
November 29th 2024 has been slated for the swearing in and official installation of Kamara as Paramount Chief of Kholifa Mabang.
However, three of the Paramount Chief’s alleged petitioners have stated they are not aware of the said legal action and they weren’t even consulted before the petition was filed at the High Court of Sierra Leone.
In different online interviews, Patrick Kamara, John Speedo Kamara and Augustine Mohamed Kamara have denied filing a petition against the Chief. In fact, the candidates said they were surprised to see their names mentioned as petitioners in a court matter they know nothing about.
For John Speedo Kamara, he said he has already congratulated the newly elected Paramount Chief immediately after his election.
“So, how can I congratulate someone and later turn round to petition the same person. This is exactly madness,” John Speedo Kamara said.
Patrick Kamara said he’s going to take legal action against anyone behind what he called the illegal act.
“I have consulted my lawyer and I will sue anyone behind this. How can you use my name in a petition case I know nothing about,” Patrick Kamara said.
The question asked by members of the public here is, how can the names of highly placed people from that Chiefdom be used as petitioners in a landmark case of this nature without their knowledge.
As the matter becomes topical everyday, there are suspicions about a certain member of the ruling party in the Chiefdom being behind what many people here called a selfish act for personal gain.
As the Chiefdom awaits the swearing in and official installation of its Paramount Chief, residents say they’re expecting the judiciary to ensure the right is done.
