The Minister of Lands, Dr Dennis Sandy, has defied an interim High Court injunction served on him by the High Court of Sierra Leone, which is presided over by Hon Mr. Justice R.S. Fynn dated 12th March, 2019.
Solicitor for the plaintiff, Mohamed P. Fofanah Esq., has, in a letter dated 12th March, notified the defendants in the matter, Mr. Sandy and Mr. Sannoh, all of Youyi building and the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority, respectively, that the High Court of Sierra Leone has slammed an injunction on the property of his client, Mr. Desmond Fashole Luke situated at Pipeline Road, Wilberforce in the matter of CC.94/2019L.No.1.
The interim High Court injunction had restrained the defendants (Messrs Sandy and Ibrahim Sannoh) whether by themselves, their respective servants, workers, officers, relations, privies and or agents from entering upon, remaining, pulling down, moving around, depositing any material or building any structure on or in any way interfering with the plaintiff piece of land situated at the said location pending the hearing and determination of the application of the solicitor for the plaintiff, Mr. Desmond Luke, scheduled for hearing on the 19th March, 2019 in Freetown.
The defendants were fully served this order by the solicitor for the plaintiff, Pa Momoh Fofanah, and other documents to wit: True copy of Amended Writ of Summons and Notice of ex parte Motion dated 11th March, 2019.
Nightwatch was reliably informed this afternoon that certain military personnel, who refused to disclose their identities to our reporter, are currently deployed at the plaintiff’s land on the orders of one Captain Tarawalie of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
The Military officers have further told our reporter, at the site, that they were instructed to occupy the said land in direct contravention of the interim High Court injunction slammed on the defendants.
Lawyer Hassan Kamara of Edrina Chambers questioned the military officers at the scene on whether they are aware that there is a restraining interim order from the High Court of Sierra Leone on the defendants not to enter the property until a determination is made by the court. They replied that they are not aware of the injunction given by the court, but that they are only working under instructions given to them by their superior.
The military officers, on the site, have also went ahead in destroying the fence built by the plaintiff to protect the three acres of land also against the interim injunction slammed on the defendants.
As we go to press these military personnel are currently fully deployed at the said land at the behest of the Minister of Lands and the Environment, who is 1st defendant in the matter before Hon. Mr. Justice R.S. Fynn.
The matter will come up for hearing on the 19th March, 2019 for a determination of the application made by the solicitor on behalf of the plaintiff, Mr. Desmond Luke.