March 2, 2018 By Regina Pratt
The ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate and the National Electoral Commission have been petitioned at the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone on eligibility to contest for the highest seat during the March 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Lead counsel for the Plaintiffs, Lawyer Francis Charles Margai, on Thursday, March 1, 2018, made an application by way of an originating notice of motion dated February 26, 2018, praying for orders contain on the motion paper objecting to the candidacy of Dr. Samura Kamara- APC Presidential Candidate.
In his application, Lawyer Margai asked the court for an enlargement of time to object to the candidacy of Dr. Samura-Presidential Candidate of the APC- for an order that the period within which the court examines the application be abridged having regard to the exigency of time, such order or further relief be granted to the Plaintiffs as justice for the case demands and cost in cause.
He said the three plaintiffs- Robert B. Kowa, in his exhibit filed his voter I.D. card, party registration card, government motion filing list of presidential candidates and proposed petition, Dr. Victoria Saidu Kamara exhibit was self- explanatory giving what transpired in Makeni,while Peter Bayuku Conteh filed in his exhibit cited a threat posed by President Ernest Bai Koroma- Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces- by surrounding the conference hall during the convention with armed security men and that he would not tolerate any objection pursuant to section 47 (3) of the Public Election Act no 4 of 2012.
He further sought three reliefs, including Dr. Samura Kamara’s qualification to contest the Presidency, his selection not in consonance with the 1991 Constitution- section 76 (b) and that Dr. Samura has hold a dual citizenship .
Lawyer Margai told the court that he was hoping to hearing from lawyers in England, as Dr. Samura was vying for the highest seat in the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Hon. Justice Abdulai Charm told Lawyer Margai that the 1st defendant has not been served and ordered the clerk to do so.
The matter was adjourned to Monday March 5, 2018.
In another matter before the Supreme Court in which David Fornah petitioned Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella Presidential candidate for the NGC, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed N’far Alie Conteh and the National Electoral Commission, lawyer Yamin Jusu sheriff applied that co-defendants, Dr. Dennis Bright Chairman and Leader of the NGC, Patrick Hindowa- secretary-General of the NGC and the NGC party be added as parties in the action pursuant to the Supreme Court orders.
The application was granted by the court.
Lead counsel for the substantive case of David Fornah versus Dr. Kandeh Yumkella and others, lawyer Dr. Abdulia O. Conteh, would be heard today, Friday, March 2, 2018 before a panel of five Judges at the Supreme Court.