The Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) has in a letter accused the Minister of Works Housing and Infrastructural Development Alimamy Petito Koroma of intimidation, heavy handed conduct, and undue embarrassment of a legal practitioner Samuel Navo Esq. in March Last year
In the letter addressed to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice the Bar Association outlined the conduct of the minister towards an SLBA member, which they said in the letter amounts to criminal conduct, including assault, threatening and intimidating conduct, false imprisonment and or unlawful behavior is not acceptable.
The Bar Association stated in the letter that since the Minister received their letter of complaint, he has not taken any step to make amendments to his conduct nor has he proffered an explanation justifying or excusing his disgraceful conduct.
The letter stated it would appear the minister is not remorseful and or that he believes such behaviour is acceptable.
The Sierra Leone Bar Association has resolved that such conduct should not go unchecked as it engenders impunity, and also cultivate the culture of violence as well as glorifies citizen’s resort to vigilante justice.
The Bar association reiterates its advise to their wronged member for him to take out criminal prosecution against the minister with the association’s fullest support.
It could be recalled that in March last year Samuel Navo Esq. had gone to a piece of land together with other persons to conduct due diligence, checks on same when he was accosted and forced into the back of a pick-up truck by armed men who purported to be acting on the Minister’s instruction.
Despite Navo’s protest he was whisked at break neck speed to the minister’s office at New England Ville the letter reported.
The SLBA takes a deem view of the incident and roundly condemns the action, because it raises the question of the freedom of lawyers to practice their profession, without fear of intimidation from anyone.
The Bar Association also frowned at the real threat of highhandedness and misuse of executive power by persons in position.
The Bar Association advised that like any citizen, the minister ought to follow the remedies available in the law.
The association has thus demanded that the Minister of Works should tender an apology to the Samuel Navo Esq. for the embarrassment caused him and strongly advised the Minister to refrain from repeating such conduct.
Awoko contacted the Works Minister Alimamy Petito Koroma on the allegations; he denied instructing anybody to beat-up a lawyer or any citizen of this country at anytime.
The Minister said, he has no idea over the incident, but confirmed receiving a letter from the Sierra Leone Bar Association addressed to Alimamy P Bangura and he did not respond to it because it was not addressed to him (Alimamy P. Koroma).
“I am not a violent man, the lawyers just want to frame me in this issue,” the Minister said on phone. He expressed determination to clear his name by any means necessary.
By Saidu Bah
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