By Alimatu Jalloh
In a recent development, Sierra Leone’s Chief Justice, Komba Kamanda, Chairman of a five-panel Supreme Court bench, has ordered an immediate halt to ongoing construction on the land of the late former Chief Justice, Desmond Luke. The decision came during a hearing on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in a case between plaintiff Monica Luke and the former Minister of Lands, Denis Sandy, among other defendants.
Chief Justice Kamanda emphasized that any continued construction activities are undertaken at the defendant’s own risk, given that the matter is currently pending before the apex court.
The order followed a submission by Lawyer Sorie Sengbe Marrah, representing the plaintiff, who informed the court of ongoing construction on the property despite the pending case. Marrah stated that the motion, filed on behalf of the first and second plaintiffs, sought the determination, interpretation, and enforcement of the 1991 constitution. He further explained that Monica Luke, the plaintiff, is the administrator of the late Chief Justice’s estate.
Marrah presented several exhibits, including an affidavit dated January 29, 2024, and photographs of the eviction of the second plaintiff’s agent. He also cited a letter to the Speaker of Parliament from the second plaintiff in February 2023, highlighting a High Court judgment and the subsequent deployment of armed men on the land.
Additionally, Marrah referenced a letter from lawyer Pa Momoh Fofanah to the Chairman of the Lands Committee in Parliament, Quintain Sallia Conneh, dated February 27, 2023. In the letter, Fofanah condemned the eviction of a school and the deployment of armed personnel on the property. The letter was also copied to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), who acknowledged the letter and disassociated the military from the deployment of soldiers on the land.
Marrah further cited a response from the Committee on Lands at the House of Parliament, signed by Chairman Conneh on January 10, 2024, affirming that the second plaintiff had approached the committee. Another exhibit included a letter of offer for the lease of state land at Spur Loop, Regent Road, granted to Mr. P.G. Robert.
The court has scheduled further proceedings to address the ongoing dispute and ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives.