By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Famous politician in Sierra Leone, Mohamed Kamarainba Mansary, is sued in High Court over claims he made against corporate miners, Sierra Rutile and Leonoil.

Solicitors of the High Court of Sierra Leone and legal consultants from Premiere Chambers have issued a formal legal notice to Mr. Kamarainba, who is currently staying in the United States, after he had recently run a jail term over Sexual Allegations conduct to a teen girl.

This time, he is held for defamatory statements he had allegedly made via online, in an audio recording sent viral on February 2, 2025.

The lawyers to represent the corporate firms are: Patrick Lambert, Mariama Dumbuya, Ransford Johnson, Editayo Pabs-Garnon, Jamila Benjamin, and Patrick Fofanah.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Kamarainba, the private firms, say they bring the lawsuit against him on his claims. They have described such as “false, baseless, and malicious” meant to ruin the companies’ public image.

In a Krio audio recording which went viral, the politican Kamarainba claimed that Bello Jos, has hands in drug trafficking business.

And that he had attempted to launder the money he invests  through Sierra Leone’s oil and mining companies.

He alleged that Bello Jos had invested in Leonoil Company Limited, thus enabling the company to have acquired Sierra Rutile Limited (SRL).

He claimed also that purportedly in September 2024, Leonoil, using funds provided by Bello Jos, acquired all shares in Sierra Rutile Limited at $18 per share.

He had also accused Leonoil of facilitating the acquisition on behalf of Bello Jos.

The solicitors, in their letter, have, however denied the so-called allegations and have made clarifications on the claims.

That Leonoil Company Limited, its directors, and shareholders have no affiliation with Bello Jos.

That Bello Jos has never been a shareholder or investor in Leonoil Company Limited, nor has the company received any funds from him.

That the acquisition of Sierra Rutile Holdings Limited was conducted under strict Australian Stock Exchange regulations and in compliance with Australian securities and anti-money laundering laws, with oversight from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

That Leonoil is a wholly owned Sierra Leonean company with no foreign individual, including Bello Jos, holding any stake or investment in it.

The letter further noted that Mr. Kamarainba had failed to verify his claims or seek clarification from the companies before making them viral, leading to significant reputational and financial harm on the twin-companies.

Leonoil and Sierra Rutile, through their legal representatives, have demanded that Mansaray:

Should issue a full and unequivocal public apology for the defamatory statements. This apology must be published on all platforms where the recording was shared and sent to all recipients, including governments and embassies. And that apology must receive prior approval from the solicitors before publication.

He should provide a written undertaking that he will refrain from further publishing the recording or any similar defamatory statements.

And must indemnify Leonoil and Sierra Rutile for the costs incurred in addressing the matter.

And that the propose damages to compensate for the harm caused to the companies’ reputation and business interests.

Sierra Rutile and Leonoil’s legal team have warned that failure by Mr. Kamarainba’s to comply with these demands will result in immediate legal action against him in Sierra Leone and in the United States.

The letter emphasizes that any litigation will seek substantial damages and legal costs.

The legal team concludes by urging him to treat the matter with urgency and seriousness to prevent further legal consequences.

“This development highlights the increasing legal risks associated with the spread of misinformation on social media and reinforces the necessity of conducting due diligence before making public allegations,” a note by the legal team reads, in part.

Credit: Calabash Newspaper