High Court Rules Out APC Case Against

High Court No 1 presided by Hon. Justice Adrian Fisher has ruled out the matter between the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party and the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (EC-SL).

The Hon Judge further ordered that the applicant, APC party, pay a cost of Two Thousand Old Leones (Two Million Old Leones) to the defendant.

On 7^th June 2023, the APC party and the National Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya Esq filed a case against the EC-SL and the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh seeking the EC-SL to produce the Disaggregated Voter Register and to comply with provisions of the Public Elections Act 2022.

In court Wednesday 5^th July 2023, the APC party was not represented whiles EC-SL and the Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh was fully represented by Lawyer A. T. Turay.

In their Originating Notice of Motion, the APC party asked the High Court, for the following reliefs; that the Court “…grant an order of mandamus directing the Chief Electoral Commissioner of EC-SL, Konneh to immediately provide to the First Applicant – APC party which is a registered political party, the National Register of Voters, which the First Respondent EC-SL had faithfully undertaken to release by its statement on the release of final voter registration figures for the updated of 2022 voter registration exercise, dated 24^th December 2022.”

They furthered that the Applicants had legitimate expectations to receive the same in fulfilment of the First Respondent’s core value of transparency and which shall contain: Firstly, the names and particulars of persons who are entitled to vote in the presidential, parliamentary and local council elections slated for the 24 June 2023, including voter identification number, date and place of birth, name and address and sex among others.

Secondly that: “This Hon Court grant an order of certiorari directed to the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the EC-SL, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh quashing all regulations, manuals, rules, procedure at variance with Section 88 (3) 91 (1) 92 (2) 92 (3) of the Public Elections Act No.17 of 2022.

The motion was supported by affidavits, which were sworn to by the APC National Secretary General, who doubles as the Second Applicant in the matter, and Dr Richard Konteh.

The EC-SL Chairman is the Second Respondent in the matter with the EC-SL being the First Respondent respectively.