By Richmond B. Tholley
Paramount Chief Bai Kurr Kuhrahray II of Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom in the Northern District of Tonkolili has suspended a section chief in his chiefdom, citing what he described as “public misbehaviour.” However, the Section Chief has accused the Paramount Chief of taking politically motivated action against him, claiming that his suspension is a direct result of his loyalty to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
Abdul ‘Becareful’ Sesay, the Section Chief of the Rokankerr Section and the longest-serving member of the SLPP in the area, was suspended on February 19, 2025. The suspension letter, written by the Paramount Chief, alleges that Sesay’s actions were deemed public misbehaviour.
“In my capacity as Paramount Chief of the above Chiefdom [Kholifa Mabang], I suspend you from the post of Section Chief of Rokankerr Section effective today, 19th February 2025,” the letter states.
The suspension, according to the Paramount Chief, stems from an incident on Saturday, February 15, 2025. The letter cites this date as the moment of public misbehaviour.
However, Sesay has responded, describing the suspension as politically motivated. He claims that the Paramount Chief is targeting him because of his support for the SLPP. The Section chief argues that this is not the first time he has faced such actions, as he is known to be a vocal supporter of the ruling party in the region.
The letter of suspension does not specify how or where Sesay allegedly misbehaved, and Sesay asserts that the Paramount Chief did not give him the opportunity to explain himself before the suspension was imposed.
“If I did misbehave, why was I not called by the Paramount Chief to explain myself? Instead, I was treated with malice, and I was removed from my position without any proper procedure,” Sesay said.
He emphasized that the Paramount Chief has the authority to remove a Section Chief but insists that the proper procedures were not followed in his case. Sesay believes he was wrongly informed about the alleged public misbehaviour and that the suspension was carried out maliciously and illegally. He plans to challenge the suspension through legal and constitutional means.
“Everyone here knows the Paramount Chief is sympathetic to the All People’s Congress (APC), and he and his supporters have been targeting me since he was declared Paramount Chief. Right after his election, his supporters started threatening me, saying I would be removed from my position,” Sesay added.
The date of the alleged misbehaviour, February 15, coincides with the SLPP’s lower-level elections for the Chairmanship of Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom. Violence erupted in Mabang town on that day, leading to several arrests by the police. However, Sesay expressed his surprise that he was singled out by the Paramount Chief as the instigator of the violence.
“If the Paramount Chief and his supporters were not politically motivated, why am I the only one he is accusing?” Sesay questioned.
In addition, Sesay revealed that just days before his suspension, his son was removed from a Chiefdom event by one of the chief’s followers. The reason for the incident, he stated, was a baseless allegation that his son had been involved in inciting the violence during the SLPP elections.
Sesay has vowed to challenge the suspension, calling it illegal and driven by malice. He maintains that his removal from office is a politically motivated attack aimed at silencing his support for the SLPP.
