LAND GRABBING IN KONO…
Chiefdom Speaker implicated
By Mohamed Konneh
Chiefdom Speaker Aiah Moses Kamanda has been accused alongside Section Chief Sahr Kpaka for selling a piece of land belonging to Aiah Sorie. The land situated in Kpatema community, in Koidu city, Kono district is now in contention with both Aiah Sorie and one John Sandy fighting ownership over the land.
In recent years, Sierra Leone has been grappling with pressing disturbances such as land grabbing, where land is being taken away from rightful owners and sold to the highest bidder.
This contentious practice, often fueled by powerful individuals, including paramount chiefs, chiefdom speakers and section chiefs.
This has triggered a series of wide-ranging consequences, leading to social unrest, chaos and confusion within communities in Sierra Leone. While rooted in historical and cultural elements, the modern-day land grabbing crisis has been exacerbated by chiefs using their influence to disadvantage people.
Kono is now a hub with various land being, grabbed from people who have invested their resources on land they bought from the very people who are supposed to protect them.
Aiah Sorie, an indigene of Kono who lives in the United Kingdom, is a victim of land grab. Aiah Sorie who bought a land around Kpatema community, Kono District in 2012 is on the verge of losing that land. This young man is now battling it out with Mr. John Sandy for the same land alleged to have been acquired from the chiefs.
As a media organization committed to the principles of truth and justice, the Standard Times Newspaper investigative report aims to expose the dark underbelly of land grabbing in Kono district that is affecting the district.
Land grabbing in Kono, East of Sierra Leone is now on the rise with numerous complaints coming through. The chiefs have been accused of selling land to multiple buyers creating chaos and confusion within the district.
Findings revealed that Aiah Sorie bought a piece of land in 2012, registered the land in the regional headquarter of Kenema. Just after the start of construction work on the land another owner shows up in the person of John Sandy a medical practitioner claiming same. The situation has led to confusion that has reached the police in Kono.
Speaking to Chiefdom Speaker in Kono, Chief Aiah Moses Kamanda about the land, he denied knowledge of selling any piece of land to multiple buyers saying he only receives land documents for approval and signature.
“Selling land does not fall within my remit. It is the town chief and section chiefs that have knowledge of land sale. People who have dispute with land, need to take their case to the local court redress,” he said.
This was contrary to what the Section Chief of Kpatema community, Chief Sahr Kpaka told Standard Times Newspaper.
“We’ve done with this case long before now and we’ve made our decision. What we have decided is to relocate one of the claimant to that land to another area,” he said.
Chief Kpaka noted that his Boss, Chief A M Kamanda has knowledge of the land in question and all of them had made a decision to relocate one of the claimant.
What Chief Kpaka did not state is who is going to be relocated noting that they are only waiting for instruction.
However, both the Chiefdom Speaker and section chief stand accused of grabbing land and selling it to the highest bidder. Both chiefs have been accused of deceiving people who want to buy land and that the land in question accordingly was initially bought by Aiah Sorie in 2012 only to be grabbed and then sold to another bidder in the name of John Sandy creating confusion and chaos.
Land grabbing is now becoming a menace across Sierra Leone with Kono district having a huge bite on the cake. See more on our next edition.
