Former opposition politician Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray has strongly condemned a recent judgment of the High Court of Sierra Leone in favor of businessman Kobi Walker, describing the ruling as unlawful, unconstitutional, and a violation of both national and international justice standards.
According to a document circulating on social media, Justice A.T. Ganda (JA) of the General Civil Division delivered judgment on 30th July 2025 in a defamation case brought against Mr. Kamarainba. The court awarded damages of NLe 250,000 and issued several orders, including a perpetual injunction.
Mr. Kamarainba, who currently resides in the United States, insists that the ruling is flawed because he was neither served with court summons nor informed about the proceedings. He stressed that his U.S. residential address was not mentioned in the judgment, nor was there any attempt by the court or the plaintiff to serve him in line with Sierra Leone’s laws or international due process requirements.
Quoting the law on service procedures, Mr. Kamarainba argued that the plaintiff was required to personally serve him or seek the court’s leave to serve out of jurisdiction. He alleged that Mr. Walker deliberately bypassed these processes to secure what he called a “surreptitious judgment.”
“This judgment is not only illegal; it is a travesty of justice. It violates the very foundation of fair hearing enshrined in our Constitution, in ECOWAS protocols, and in universal human rights law. No one can lawfully be tried in absentia without proper service or representation in a civil matter,” he said.
Kamarainba further noted that the ruling directly contravenes Section 23 of Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing, as well as the principles of natural justice — particularly audi alteram partem (the right to be heard).
Beyond his personal case, the former politician accused the judiciary of being manipulated by corrupt politicians and business figures. “The judiciary in Sierra Leone has become a tool for rogue politicians and unscrupulous businessmen like Kobi Walker to pursue personal vendettas. They use courtrooms not for justice but for silencing opponents and protecting unexplained wealth derived from exploiting Sierra Leone’s natural resources,” he claimed.
Concluding, Mr. Kamarainba described the ruling as “a stain on Sierra Leone’s justice system” and warned that it sends a dangerous signal to the world that courts in the country can be “hijacked to destroy individuals without giving them a chance to defend themselves.”
