The Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) has been plunged into a deep constitutional and governance crisis following a formal legal requisition by a significant group of members demanding an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to address alleged leadership vacuum and administrative breaches.
In a legal notice dated June 9, 2026, the group invoked Section 187 of the Companies Act No. 5 of 2009, calling on the Board of Directors to immediately convene an EGM to address concerns over expired mandates and governance failures within the Association.
The SLBA, registered as a company limited by guarantee without share capital, requires members representing at least one-tenth of total voting rights to requisition an EGM. The petitioning members confirmed that they have exceeded this statutory threshold, submitting a full schedule of names and signatures alongside the formal filing delivered to the SLBA Board at the Sierra Leone Special Court on Jomo Kenyatta Road.
The requisition outlines several serious allegations against the current leadership, which members say necessitate urgent intervention.
Key concerns include the expiration of the current Executive’s mandate in May 2026 without the election of a new leadership, which the members argue undermines the constitutional rights of the Association.
The group also alleges that no Annual General Meeting (AGM) has been held since May 2024, in breach of Section 185(1) of the Companies Act and Article 11 of the Association’s Articles of Association.
Additionally, they claim that no audited accounts, financial statements, or activity reports have been presented to members for the period from May 2024 to date, in violation of Section 185(2) of the Act and Article 14 of the Association’s governing framework.
Tensions reportedly escalated following the indefinite postponement of an AGM originally scheduled for June 5 and 6, 2026, which had been announced in a notice dated May 11, 2026, but later cancelled on June 1, 2026. The requisitionists argue that the postponement contradicted earlier assurances that preparations for the meeting were complete.
They stated that the continued absence of valid leadership threatens the proper functioning of the Association and undermines the interests of the legal profession in Sierra Leone.
The members behind the requisition have outlined several resolutions they intend to present at the proposed EGM. These include a formal declaration that the current Executive’s mandate has expired, and the establishment of an Interim Governance Committee comprising not more than five members to oversee the Association’s affairs.
The committee, according to the proposal, would be tasked with organizing new elections within seven days and ensuring regular accountability to members.
Other proposals include restraining the current Directors from taking further actions on behalf of the Association and authorising legal steps, including High Court proceedings, to protect the interests of members and seek judicial clarification where necessary.
Under Section 187(4) of the Companies Act 2009, the Board of Directors has 21 days from the date of receipt of the requisition to convene the requested meeting.
The requisitionists have appointed Ms. Ebunoluwa Finda Tengbe as their official representative for service of notices.
They have warned that failure to convene the EGM within the statutory timeframe will prompt them to exercise their legal rights to convene the meeting themselves, recover associated costs, and pursue further legal remedies.
The requisition has been formally prepared for delivery to the SLBA registered office, pending acknowledgment by the Association’s Secretary or a Director.
