The Paramount chieftaincy election petition matter against Alfred Sovula Gbandoma came up again on Thursday 3rd April 2025 before Justice Alfred Tommy Ganda at the Freetown High Court Guma Building in Freetown where the Provincial Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government Abubakarr Kamara testified before the court based on questions posed to him by the appellant lawyer.

1. J Ruffle how chieftaincy election are being conducted in a chiefdom.

Alfred Sovula Gbandoma was dragged to court by the petitioner Sakpa Jibao Gbekpa challenging the legitimacy of the Gbandoma election.

The case stems from a civil matter under section 13 of the Chieftaincy Act of 2009.

The petitioner Sakpa Jibao Gbekpa filed a petition against the results of the purported election with the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone as first respondent, the provincial secretary office in Bo as second respondent and Alfred Sovula Gbandoma as the third respondent.

An injunction was slammed by the court indicating that no activity should be held at the Chiefdom until the matter is been heard and determine at the high court.

The witness Abubakarr Kamara whiles answering to questions posed by the petitioner lawyer B. J Reffle, he said he is a civil servant working at the Ministry of Local Government as provincial secretary attached at the Southern region Bo.

He said he is before the court based on a subpoena served to him by the court that he should be in court and the subpoena was dated 24 March 2025.

Going further Kamara was asked by lawyer Reffle if there was a declaration of rights process that was held at the Bumpeh district chiefdom and he responded in the positive and said he was present at the declaration rights.

The provincial secretary further that his role is to conduct declaration as he is the declaration officer of elections held in the Chiefdom.

Explaining further Kamara said during the period of declaration after everyone has done their declaration he proceeded to file a report which was a joint one done by himself, Councilor and tribal authorities.

He was shown exhibit C10 which he identify as the declaration report he made.

Kamara answering further to questions said

that he is familiar with the provisions of the Chieftaincy Act, adding that there are strict rules that needs to be followed during declaration process.

Kamara further answer to questions posed by lawyer Reffle that the main law of the Chieftaincy Act indicated that every candidate contesting has to be able to explain themselves clearly to the Councilor, tribal authorities, section chief and the Provincial secretary.

Kamara further that during the day of the declaration one of the contestants was Alfred Sovula Gbandoma, adding that on that day one madam Irini Labor made claims against Sovula Gbandoma that is not eligible to contest for the election.

He said madam Irini Labor further claim that the late grandfather of Sovula Gbandoma was not a paramount chief of Bumbeh district.

He said Madam Irini Labor second claim was that the Gbandoma ruling house was not in existence meaning that it has never been a ruling house.

The provincial secretary further in answering questions that the rules of declaration is to take notes of every claims made against a contestant and him, councilor, tribal authorities and section chief has to look into the claims and bring out a report.

The provincial secretary further in court that the declaration process was video recorded and it was public all over social media.

He further that during declaration process there are lay down parameters that should be followed, adding that one of it is that if a candidate is speaking no one should interrupted until him or her is finished.

He further confirm before the court that he is familiar with the Chieftaincy Act and also the rules to go by during declaration of rights ceremony.

He further that every objection raised during declaration process should go into a vote and that is stated in section 13 (3) of the Chieftaincy Act.

He was asked by lawyer Reffle that one Joe Cobber also raised an objection on that day of the declaration and he responded that yes he also made an objection but it was for another candidate and not Sovula.

Kamara further answered to questions posed by Lawyer Reffle that during declaration process objection can be raised questioning the linage of a contestant, adding that there are strict rules in the Act guiding that path.

The provincial secretary further answered to questions posed to him that to confirm the claims made by Madam Irene Labor against Sovula Gbandoma he called one Ansu Gbandoma to confirm if their linage is from a ruling house and so Ansu Gbandoma produced a receipt dated 2002 endorsing their grandfather Joe Lansana Gbandoma that he was a paramount chief.

He was further asked by lawyer Reffle to show the court further documents to prove that the house of Sovula Gbandoma was a ruling but Kamara responded that the building where the documents were kept was burnt down and there were no traces of the documents.

He said he only has receipts of them dated 2002.

At that juncture, the Judge said a receipt can be prepared anywhere, adding that if the building has been burnt down there are archives where he can get those documents.

The witness was shown a document by lawyer Reffle which he identified as the declaration report he made.

He said the report is titled: Joint Report For The Declaration of Rights dated 7 August 2024.

Lawyer Ruffle then asked the witness that the declaration of rights was held on 7 September 2024 but he wrote on his report that the declaration of rights was held on the 7 August 2024 which means he prepared the report before the declaration ceremony and Kamara responded that it was a mistake, adding that he did not prepared the report before the declaration process but made the report after the declaration process.

Kamara further answering to questions posed by lawyer Reffle said after the declaration process there was a gazetted list of candidates that was published thrice.

After been questioned by lawyer Reffle, Lawyer E. Sarkoh on behalf of the second respondent who is the witness himself posed questions to him.

Kamara answering to questions by his lawyer said during the declaration process there was only one objection raised about Alfred Sovula Gbandoma and the claims was that the Gbandoma ruling house does not exist and his great grandfather was never a chief of Bumbeh chiefdom.

Answering to questions posed to him by lawyer B. T Cummings on behalf of the first respondent which is the Electoral Commission, witness Kamara said after the declaration process the list of candidates were published for everyone to see.

The matter was adjourned to 7th May 2025 for continuation.