“Abuse of Power Disguised As Environmental Protection.”

By Mahmud Tim Kargbo

A land dispute at Mile 13 has exposed what many believe to be gross abuse of power, selective justice, and human rights violations at the hands of the Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC), Maada S. Kpenge. Families with legitimate land documents—including the Kamara, Dumbuya, Sesay, Jalloh, Jaward, Barrie, Conteh, and Bangura families—have been forcibly denied access to their properties.

Meanwhile, in the same area, other landowners are freely constructing homes and developing land without restriction.

This apparent double standard raises serious concerns: Why are some individuals allowed to build while others face military occupation on their land?

 WHAT THE LAW SAYS: GUMA VALLEY’s ACTUAL LAND HOLDINGS

The Guma Valley Water Company Act of 2017 outlines GVWC’s legally recognised land holdings. According to the Act, GVWC owns three parcels of land within the Colony Forest Reserve at Guma, totaling 830.96 acres:

• Parcel A – 44.0 acres, located between two streams west of the Peninsular Circular Road and the Colony Forest Reserve Boundary, at the junction with the main access road to Guma Valley.
• Parcel B – 53.88 acres, situated within the Colony Forest Reserve at Guma, beginning 76.2 meters northwest from the center of the main access road to Guma Valley.
• Parcel C – The exact acreage at Mile 13 is not specified in the Act. However, Part I of the First Schedule states that GVWC’s total land holdings amount to 733.08 acres, outlining boundaries but failing to allocate a specific portion for Mile 13.

This raises a crucial legal question: On what basis is GVWC’s Managing Director claiming ownership of Mile 13, when the Act does not explicitly designate any portion of it as GVWC property?

A CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES 

After carefully reviewing the documents provided by GVWC Managing Director, Maada S. Kpenge, a team of investigative journalists conducted an extensive fact-finding mission. The findings were disturbing. Families with legitimate legal documentation proving ownership of land at Mile 13 have been subjected to:

• Military occupation of their land, preventing them from accessing their own property.
• Selective enforcement of land-use laws, where some landowners are allowed to build while others are forcibly removed.
• Threats and intimidation, allegedly under the direct instruction of GVWC’s leadership.

A retired judge, speaking on the matter, condemned the blatant abuse of power, stating:

“The actions taken against the Mile 13 landowners constitute a serious misuse of power and a clear violation of their human rights. This must be addressed with the utmost seriousness to uphold justice and the rule of law.”

THE GREEN BELT EXCUSE: A COVER FOR LAND GRABBING?

The GVWC Managing Director’s primary defence is that Mile 13 falls within the Western Area Forest Green Belt, a legally protected zone meant to preserve the environment. While green belt regulations do restrict development, they do not grant GVWC the right to enforce them selectively.

A senior citizen, who has witnessed the selective application of these laws, questioned:

“How is it that some individuals in the same vicinity are allowed to build, while just fifteen feet across the same street, the rightful owners of this land are denied access? If this isn’t selective justice, then what is it?”

A diplomat, familiar with the case, added:

“One cannot hide behind an institution to promote a hidden agenda. This is an abuse of power disguised as environmental protection.”

If GVWC is truly concerned about environmental conservation, why has it allowed deforestation and construction in other areas of the Green Belt, yet aggressively pursued private landowners at Mile 13? This glaring inconsistency suggests that the Managing Director is using environmental laws as a smokescreen for land grabbing.

SELECTIVE JUSTICE AND THE FAILURE OF DUE PROCESS

The Sierra Leonean legal system clearly defines how land can be acquired for public use. If GVWC intends to acquire land, it must follow strict legal procedures, including:

1. Legal acquisition processes, including fair compensation for landowners.
2. Transparent and non-discriminatory enforcement of land laws.
3. Judicial review to determine rightful ownership before taking action.

Instead, GVWC’s Managing Director has ignored these legal principles, opting instead for:

• Deploying military personnel to intimidate rightful landowners.
• Using government resources to enforce selective policies.
• Denying due process to families with legitimate land claims.

These actions not only undermine the rule of law, but set a dangerous precedent for future land disputes in Sierra Leone. If Maada S. Kpenge is allowed to violate private property rights without accountability, what stops other government officials from doing the same?

 A CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

This dispute is not just about land—it is about justice, property rights, and the abuse of power. The Managing Director of GVWC must answer critical questions:

1. Why has GVWC failed to provide clear legal proof that Mile 13 falls under its jurisdiction?
2. Why are some landowners allowed to build while others are denied access?
3. What scientific method was used to determine that one side of Mile 13 in the same street is Green Belt while the opposite side is not?
4. Why has GVWC refused to engage in legal and transparent dispute resolution mechanisms?

Sierra Leoneans deserve a government that upholds the law fairly and equitably. The ongoing crisis at Mile 13 is a test of our nation’s commitment to justice and the rule of law. The time for accountability is now.

This is not just a land dispute—it is a battle for fairness, justice, and the fundamental rights of every citizen.