Sierra Leonean lawyer Basita Michael has questioned the police explanation for stopping lawyers from entering the venue of the Sierra Leone Bar Association’s Annual General Meeting in Freetown.
The meeting, which was expected to include elections, was due to take place on 31 July 2026 at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen.
Police officers blocked access to the venue, preventing members of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, or SLBA, from entering. The meeting was later postponed indefinitely.
Ms Michael said the explanation later given by police raised legal and constitutional concerns.
According to her, officers at the venue reportedly said they were acting on “orders from above” and because of “circumstances beyond their control”.
She said this appeared different from the later police explanation that the action was taken because of security concerns.
Ms Michael argued that any decision to restrict people’s constitutional rights, including freedom of assembly, should have a clear legal basis and should be properly explained at the time the action is taken.
She also questioned why the legal reasons for the police action appeared to come after the meeting had already been stopped.
She warned that such differences in explanations could affect public confidence in the police and the rule of law.
The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion has also raised concerns over the incident.
The commission said police had initially been invited to help with the management of the AGM, but the venue was later locked and the meeting stopped under circumstances that remained unclear. It called for further discussions with the police and SLBA leadership to establish what happened.
Dispute over voter register
The incident happened amid disagreements within the Sierra Leone Bar Association over the list of lawyers who were eligible to vote in the elections.
A High Court order had called for the publication of a verified list of fully paid-up members.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay also raised concerns about the process ahead of the meeting, citing what he described as procedural irregularities.
SLBA President Adama Tuma Gento-Kamara rejected the intervention, arguing that the Bar Association should remain independent.
Ms Michael said the events raised wider questions about the use of state institutions and executive authority in matters involving independent professional organisations.
The incident has also caused concern among members of Sierra Leone’s legal community.
SLBA Public Relations Officer Alfred Kamanda resigned following the blockade, describing what happened as an abuse of power.
The dispute has renewed debate about the independence of the Bar Association, the conduct of its elections and the protection of constitutional rights in Sierra Leone.
