By: Richmond B Tholley

The Chairman of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party in Constituency 49, Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone, has been lately accused of secretly financing and sponsoring the ongoing petition case filed against the newly elected Paramount Chief of Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom.

Residents from the Chiefdom said Sallu Kargbo is also igniting post election tension in the area with the intention to make the Chiefdom ungovernable.

Kargbo was caretaker and Regent Chief of Kholifa Mabang from around 2019 to October 26th 2024 when the Chiefdom held its Paramount Chieftaincy elections and subsequently elected a new leader. Though the elections were widely acclaimed to be genuine, peaceful, free, fair and credible, residents were shocked after a petition was filled against Imran Kamara, the winner and Paramount Chief elect.

According to the petition, five of the candidates in the last election said the elections were not credible and called for an interim injunction to be slammed.

In a letter to the High Court Judge presiding over the matter in Makeni, three of the petitioners said they are not part of those that filed the petition and accused the SLPP Chairman of being behind the whole drama.

According to the other candidates, the elections were credible and they have congratulated the winner and Paramount Chief elect.

Immediately after the election, John Speedo Kamara, Patrick Kamara and Augustine Mohamed Kamara stated that the SLPP Chairman was secretly organizing meetings with stakeholders of ruling houses to petition and challenge the election results.

"Our Lordship, be also acknowledged that after the peaceful conduct of our paramount chieftaincy elections on 26th October, 2024, the former Regent Chief of Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom Sallu Kargbo who doubles as the current Constituency Chairman for Constituency 049 for the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP) facilitated the petition moves by frequently contacting family members and candidates of ruling houses to support his motives for this petition matter," the three candidates who dissociated from the petition wrote.

According to the three men, the former Regent Chief Sallu Kargbo made several cell phone calls and called for meeting sessions with family members of ruling houses to challenge the credibility of the just concluded paramount chieftaincy election in a court of law.

This assertion, the three candidates said can be justified with evidence of WhatsApp Audio voice notes of the former Regent Chief, Sallu Kargbo.

The actions of the former Regent Chief who is also the current Chairman of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party in Constituency 49 contravenes the Chieftaincy Act.

"Your Honorable Lordship Sir, the motives and moves of the former Regent Chief and Constituency Chairman for constituency 049 for the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP) to involve in facilitating this petition matter between and amongst paramount chieftaincy candidates and the family members of their respective ruling houses is a complete abuse of office and tantamount to the violation and breach of the Chieftaincy Act 2009, section 7 Sub Section 2," the three candidates wrote in their letter.

In accordance with Section 7 subsection (2) of the Chieftaincy Acts 2009, Acts No. 10 of 2009 reads:
No government Minister or other official, and no political party, whether collectively or otherwise, shall promote or show support or preference for the candidature of any particular contestants in a paramount chieftaincy election.

For the SLPP Chairman, residents said there is evidence he has contravened the Chieftaincy Act. According to sources, the SLPP Chairman presented Abdul Balie Kamara as a candidate in the election so that he would have been Chiefdom Speaker if the said candidate wins.

Unfortunately, Kargbo's candidate did not win and it's the reason he's moving for a petition so there would be a re-run, according to our sources.

Coincidentally, Abdul Balie Kamara, Kargbo's candidate is the 1st Petitioner.

As the matter becomes the topic of discussion here, everyone is closely monitoring the judiciary to ensure there's justice.

Several times the SLPP Chairman is reached over the phone but he's not picking up calls to clarify or respond to the allegations against him.