In a longstanding land dispute that has spanned over 14 years, the legal representatives of Madam Marie Sesay have issued a final demand to Dr. Richard Conteh, urging him to transfer the remaining property owed to their client.

The conflict dates back to 2010 when Madam Marie Sesay allegedly paid Dr. Conteh $8,000 for four town lots of land at Mamah Street, Gloucester, along with an additional $2,000 for constructing a perimeter fence around the property. According to a notice from Marrah & Associates, the law firm representing Madam Sesay, Dr. Conteh conveyed only two of the four town lots and has since failed to transfer the remaining lots despite numerous requests and interventions from family and friends.

Marrah & Associates, acting on behalf of Madam Sesay, have now issued a final demand for Dr. Conteh to transfer the title and hand over possession of the remaining two lots by August 31, 2024. The letter explicitly states that failure to comply will result in legal action seeking specific performance and damages for breach of contract.

The letter from Marrah & Associates concludes with a direct appeal to Dr. Conteh: “Note that should you fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe above, our peremptory instructions are to institute an action against your good self in the High Court for specific performance and damages for breach of contract. We hope you would not render court action and its attendant consequences inevitable.”

Dr. Richard Conteh is a prominent figure within the All People’s Congress (APC) and has been praised for his role in co-chairing the Tripartite Committee investigating the disputed June 2023 presidential election in Sierra Leone. His political career includes appointments as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President under former President Ernest Bai Koroma.

The resolution of this land dispute, which has dragged on for over a decade, remains to be seen as the deadline for compliance approaches.