The campaign for the presidency of the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) gathered further momentum on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, as the Association’s incumbent President, Madam Tuma Adama Jabbi, met with legal practitioners of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) at Defence Headquarters in Freetown.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Yayah Brima Esq., Director of Defence Public Relations and Information, the meeting formed part of Madam Tuma Adama Jabbi’s campaign efforts as she seeks a second term as President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association ahead of the Association’s elections scheduled for 1 August 2026.
Madam Tuma Adama Jabbi was accompanied by members of her campaign team, including the Sierra Leone Bar Association’s Public Relations Officer, Alfred Kamanda, during the engagement with military legal officers.
Lieutenant Colonel Yayah Brima disclosed that the meeting followed an earlier engagement held on 22 July 2026, when Madam Tuma Adama Jabbi’s challenger, Martina Baindu Egbenda, who currently serves as Administrator and Registrar General, also met with legal practitioners within the Armed Forces.
He explained that both presidential candidates have been engaging members of the Armed Forces legal corps in an effort to canvass support and secure votes ahead of the highly anticipated Sierra Leone Bar Association elections.
According to the Defence spokesperson, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces currently has approximately 40 legal practitioners, including nearly 10 female lawyers, making the military legal fraternity an important constituency within the Association’s electoral process.
Lieutenant Colonel Yayah Brima also highlighted the longstanding contribution of the Armed Forces to Sierra Leone’s legal and judicial system, noting that several distinguished members of the Bench previously served as legal practitioners within the RSLAF before ascending to senior positions in the judiciary.
He identified the distinguished Benchers as Retired Honourable Justice I.M. Koroma, who retired from the military with the rank of Colonel; Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba, who retired as a Captain; and Principal Magistrate Mustapha Braima-Jah, who retired with the rank of Major.
The meetings with the Armed Forces legal practitioners underscore the importance both candidates attach to engaging members of the legal profession across different institutions as campaigning intensifies ahead of the Sierra Leone Bar Association elections in Freetown.
