By Ophaniel Gooding
In compliance with the findings in the report of Honourable Justice Bankole Thompson Commission of Inquiry 2018, and as ordered by the Government White Paper which was published on 24 September 2020, the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has on the 21st September, 2022 took possession of a parcel of land together with buildings situated off Spur Road, Blue Bell Drive Freetown.
According to the Attorney General, the property was a subject of interest during the Commission of Inquiry but no one came forward to claim it, therefore it became “Bona Vacantia,” or ownerless property, and the State assumed possession of it.
The property was first registered as a deed of conveyance No. 8/2012 at page 74 in Volume 15 dated 14th March 2012 and subsequently as No1253/2014 at page 103 in volume 729 dated 30th May 2014 in the books of Registered Deed of Conveyances kept at the Office of Registrar and Administrator General, Roxy Building in Freetown.
“According to the Attorney General, the property was a subject of interest during the Commission of Inquiry but no one came forward to claim it, therefore it became “Bona Vacantia,” or ownerless property, and the State assumed possession of it.” The Calabash
This is laughable! A property that was register at the Government operated administration General’s office has no name is that what the state and in particular the Attorney General’s office wants us to believe? Are we not making a mockery of ourselves as a nation to our development partners and other nations? Did a ghost come down from six feet below to buy a parcel of land, register the land and build a property in it without a name?
What about doing due diligence by starting first to know who owned the lands before 2012. Don’t tell me that the Land Ministry and the Administration General’s office did not have in their record the owner of the land.
End your investigation at the Administration General’s Office to know who the government official was or is (if he is still working in that office ) that registered the land and property in 2012 (unless again like in everything murky in Sierra Leone Registrars do not put their names, date and stamp or seal on documents that they register).
My last take on this is that the government should put the plot of land and property for sale on auction. Keeping it as government property, the true owner (ghost) would reclaim it in 2023 if the PaoPa government is kicked out of power. The effort and resources expended on the COI will be in vain and waste of Sierra Leone’s meagre resources if the ghost owner reclaims his/her property come 2023 after the elections.