The Kasafoni land dispute has rapidly emerged as one of Sierra Leone’s most pressing human rights concerns, with rising tensions threatening to boil over if decisive Government action is not taken. At the heart of the issue is a petition submitted to Parliament by Hon. PC Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III, Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District, on behalf of the people of Dansogoia, Sambaia and Diang Chiefdoms. The petition is set to be heard by the Public Petitions Committee, chaired by Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, in a critical meeting scheduled for Monday, July 7, 2025.

Community members and observers alike have described the situation in Kasafoni as a gross violation of human rights, accusing the state-backed Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development and Management Corporation (SLMMDMC) of unlawfully laying claim to community land without consultation or consent. The lease agreement in question, between the local people and the indigenous Gento Group of Companies, is said to have been executed with full community approval in line with the Customary Land Rights Act, the Mines and Minerals Development Act and the 1991 Constitution.

Residents argue that the lease with Gento Group was transparent, lawful and brought meaningful development to their communities, including infrastructure projects like roads, clean water supply and improved healthcare services. The petition asks Parliament to formally recognize the agreement, revoke Statutory Instrument No. 11 of 2024, which granted administrative control of the land to the SLMMDMC and launch an investigation into how the state corporation acquired rights over the land in defiance of established legal procedures.

What is most alarming, according to legal experts and civil society actors, is the conspicuous silence of the Attorney General’s Office and the Human Rights Commission. Despite credible claims that statutory and constitutional rights have been breached, neither institution has made a public statement or intervened. Their inaction, many believe, undermines public confidence in the justice system and emboldens other entities to disregard the rule of law.

“If this silence continues and nothing is done to address the legitimate grievances of the Kasafoni people, any outbreak of unrest or violence will rest squarely at the feet of the Government,” one civil rights advocate warned. “This is a test case for Sierra Leone’s commitment to human rights and legal due process.”

Paramount Chief Hon. PC Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III, while tabling the petition, stated that the people of the three chiefdoms are not opposed to development but that development must be done legally and with respect for community rights. He reiterated that the Gento Group was chosen through a participatory process and has honored its commitments, unlike SLMMDMC, which communities accuse of acting unilaterally.

Legal scholars argue that Statutory Instrument No. 11 directly contradicts Section 33(3)(a) of the Mines and Minerals Development Act, which mandates community consultation and consent in all land and mineral-related agreements. Ignoring those provisions sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the legal protections that indigenous communities rely on.

State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay recently emphasized the importance of respecting community rights in all land-related dealings. “The laws are clear. Consent must be sought. Engagement must happen. No institution is above these requirements,” he said.

As Parliament prepares to deliberate, many see this as a defining moment not just for the people of Kasafoni but for Sierra Leone’s broader struggle to balance development and human rights. The choices made in the coming days could either strengthen the country’s democratic institutions or expose deep fissures in its legal and governance systems.

For the residents of Kasafoni, the matter is no longer simply about land; it is about justice, dignity and being treated as rightful stakeholders in their own country’s future. Should their voices be ignored and their rights continue to be violated, it will be the Government of Sierra Leone that bears full responsibility for the consequences.