Bar Association Executive Is Illegal – Says Former Attorney General
By James Johnson
Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK), has described the current Executive of the Sierra Leone Bar Association as illegal, insisting that it emerged from a process he termed “appalling, shameful, and disgusting.”
Speaking candidly on the controversy surrounding the Bar Association elections held in Kenema, Kamara said the alleged rigging of that election has left the Association deeply divided, forcing many senior legal practitioners, including himself, to withdraw from its activities.
“The manner in which the Tuma Jabbi Executive was chosen in Kenema was illegal,” Kamara stated. “Most senior lawyers do not support it, and that is why many of us have ceased participating in the Bar Association until this wrong is reversed.”
He noted that what transpired in Kenema remains a stark reminder of the growing fragmentation within the legal fraternity, adding that the division has weakened the credibility and unity of the Bar.
Kamara further accused the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) of interfering in the affairs of the Bar Association, describing the government as divisive.
“The SLPP interfered with the Bar Association. When the so-called Tuma Jabbi Executive was installed, members of the SLPP were openly celebrating,” he alleged.
According to the former Attorney General, Bar Association elections should be about selecting competent and independent lawyers capable of defending the rule of law and the interests of the nation, not individuals aligned with political power.
“When we go into Bar Association elections, we go for good lawyers to defend the country, not the Bar for political interests,” he said.
Kamara also expressed concern over what he described as the swift recognition of the disputed Executive by the President, suggesting that such recognition lent legitimacy to an unlawful process.
“If I were President, I would not have recognized that Executive. Instead, I would have prevailed on them to do the right thing,” he remarked.
Despite the current impasse, Kamara disclosed that efforts are underway to restore unity within the legal profession. He revealed that discussions have already commenced with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice aimed at resolving the dispute and ensuring the country has one united and credible Bar Association.
“Sierra Leone must have one lawyers’ group. Discussions have started to address this problem, and we hope the right thing will be done,” he concluded.
