Over 15 houses have been demolished in Kabala with hundreds left homeless on the eve of the rainy season after a ruling by the local court authorities in Wara Wara Yagala Court No:1, Koinadugu District.
The ruling by the Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom Court at Gbawuria- Kabala in the Koinadugu District, has sent tongues wagging about the justice system in the country, which to many is a means to undermine government’s efforts to transforming the justice system in the country.
One of the victims alleged that the decision to demolish their houses initially came after a judgement made against them by Mr. Ibrahim Bah, the Acting Local Court Supervisor in Koinadugu and Falaba.
The action was not only limited to the demolition exercise in that part of the country, but also saw an acting court supervisor presiding over a court matter and making judgement. The victims also accused the court chairman, Mr. Lansana Gberie Kamara of being partial.
The question here is how both Kamara and Bah manipulated the status of a local court into being Supreme Court to the extent that their decision must be final and cannot be challenged. Despite the advice from the Paramount Chief, PC Gbawuru Mansaray III in the Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom not to carry out any demolition considering the economic situation in the country and for a peaceful coexistence, the Order was executed.
The victims further alleged that Bah and Kamara led the plaintiff to contact the AIG in Makeni to provide with police support for the demolition exercise, since the Customary Law Office in Koinadugu and Falaba refused to sign thereby granting them police support from Kabala. During the demolition exercise, the community people were left with shock seeing houses that were built over 20 years destroyed in minutes.
“Bah and Kamara have killed me and left my family displaced”, one of the victims cried! The victim, who is a veteran in the Sierra Leone Armed Forces and served for over 20 years expressed his disappointment in the local court justice system, specifically in Kamara and Bah’s court. He further told this medium that it was his entire retirement benefit that he used to put his four bed-room structure to shelter his family who depended on him.
Other victims expressed that they did not only lose their houses but other properties worth millions of Leones including their kids’ uniforms, books, and other items. Most of them are now wondering on how to get back their kids to school after the Second Term Recess. They concluded that the action of Kamara and Bah has put the future of their kids in jeopardy.
The community accused the Court authorities of being allegedly corrupt and arrogant; the reason they want the Judiciary and an impartial body to intervene and rescue them from their poor state.
The level of injustice perpetuated in Kamara and Bah’s court is exemplified by the recent Ejectment Summons Notice that they issued to the Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom Council Authority to give up the possession of a disputed property situated at the Kabala Center. Although the matter has been appealed and was on hold for review by the State Council and Customary Law officer in the district. “Kamara and Bah who serve the court ignored the appeal made by the Chiefdom Council Authorities as well as the two invitations by the State Counsel to review their decision”, PC Gbawuru Mansaray III stated in an interview.
But Mr.Ibrahim denied the allegations when contacted by this medium.He stated that the allegations were false and misleading.