Tensions have intensified ahead of the Sierra Leone Bar Association’s (SLBA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) after a law firm representing a legal practitioner in an ongoing court matter raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in the association’s published voter eligibility list.

Lansana, Osho & Partners, acting on behalf of Ms. Ebunoluwa Tengbe, the Plaintiff/Applicant in the High Court matter “Ebunoluwa Tengbe v. The Sierra Leone Bar Association and Others,” has written to the SLBA President alleging what it described as “material discrepancies” between the association’s voter list and verified bank payment records.

The firm’s letter, dated Thursday, July 30, 2026, comes days after the High Court, presided over by Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba J, issued an order directing the SLBA executive to publish a list of fully paid-up members eligible to participate in the AGM scheduled for July 31 and August 1, 2026.

According to the legal correspondence, the court order required voter eligibility to be determined based on evidence of payments made before the May 29, 2026 deadline. The plaintiff’s legal team said it obtained a certified copy of the SLBA’s bank statement from Rokel Commercial Bank to verify payments made within the stipulated period.

However, after the SLBA published its voter list on the night of July 29, the law firm claimed that a comparison with the certified bank records revealed inconsistencies.

The firm identified three major concerns, including the omission of some individuals whose payments were reportedly confirmed by the bank before the deadline, the inclusion of names allegedly without corresponding payment records, and a number of entries that matched the verified bank records.

Lansana, Osho & Partners has urged the SLBA leadership to address the alleged discrepancies immediately and ensure that the AGM proceeds with a voter list that is properly reconciled with the verified payment records.

The firm stated that its concerns were raised in the interest of protecting the rule of law, maintaining the integrity of court processes, and ensuring transparency within the legal profession.

The letter has also been copied to several key institutions, including the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Inspector General of Police, the Secretary to the President at State House, the National Security Coordinator at the Office of National Security (ONS), and the Chairman of the General Legal Council.

With the SLBA AGM set to commence on Friday, July 31, attention is now focused on how the association’s leadership will respond to the allegations and whether the voter list will be reviewed before voting begins.