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Prominent Sierra Leonean lawyer Ibrahim Kargbo, a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court, has written to the Senior District Officer (SDO) of Bombali District, Charles M. Kailie, accusing him of abusing his office in a land dispute involving the Kargbo Family of Gbendembu Town.
The dispute centers around a piece of land on which an Orange (SL) telecommunications pole is located, with Kargbo asserting that the SDO’s actions threaten to undermine the family’s lawful ownership.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Lawyer Kargbo outlined that he is representing the Kargbo Family, led by Rev. Momodu Solomon Kargbo, in a legal dispute over the ownership of the land situated along the Makeni Highway in Gbendembu Town, Ngowanhum Chiefdom. According to Kargbo, a Local Court judgment had already ruled in favor of his clients, affirming their ownership of the disputed land.
The letter expressed concern over the SDO’s actions, specifically referencing a letter issued by the SDO on October 24, which Kargbo claims undermines the legal judgment in his clients’ favor. Kargbo emphasized that the Local Court ruling remains valid unless overturned by the Bombali Judicial District Appeal Court.
He urged the SDO to respect the judicial process and refrain from taking actions that could jeopardize the legal rights of the Kargbo Family.
In his letter, Kargbo stressed that Orange (SL) Limited, which had entered into a contractual agreement with the Kargbo Family to install the pole, must continue to honor its obligations under the contract until a court ruling states otherwise.
He further noted that even if the Sesay Family, who are challenging the land ownership, were to win a judgment in their favor, there are legal procedures that must be followed to enforce such a ruling, none of which have been pursued at this point.
Kargbo’s letter called on the SDO to ensure that his clients are able to maintain undisturbed possession of the land, highlighting that the Senior District Officer’s office is responsible for upholding the rule of law.
The letter was copied to several key authorities, including the Provincial Secretary, the Assistant Inspector General of the North-East, the Paramount Chief of Gbendembu Chiefdom, the Local Unit Commander of Panlap Police Division, the CEO of Orange (SL) Limited, and the Kargbo Family.
The case underscores the growing tensions over land disputes in Sierra Leone, with this particular issue drawing attention to the potential for abuse of administrative power in matters that are legally governed by the courts
