By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
A Court Order has instructed the Directors of the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) to take necessary steps to convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM) with immediate effect or not later than 30th September, 2024, and urged that they grant all members the full rights of notification, access and participation.
The Court Order came after the 1st Plaintiff, Millicent Kargbo, 2nd Plaintiff, Aminata Finda Massaquoi and 3rd Plaintiff; Mariama Sesay took a matter to the High Court of Sierra Leone for an interpretation of the Company’s Act of 2009 as amended.
The order called on the organization’s Corporate Secretary, Yeama Thompson also 2nd Defendant of the matter to work with the directors to ensure proper convening of the AGM in compliance with statutory requirements under the said Act.
It urged the plaintiffs and defendants of the matter to file a joint report or separate reports as the case may be to the Court on the status of implementation of the AGM and Thompson’s compliance not later than 4th October 2024 and to present the reports to the court.
The court ruling restrained members of the association from issuing and publishing media advisories or public statements in relation to this matter until after 4th October, 2024 unless such advisories/ statements are towards the implementation of the AGM and that of the 2nd Defendant.
It made a declaration that the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Mariama Khai-Fornah) lacked and still lack the authority to pass a Resolution on the 20th July, 2023 regarding the removal and appointment of Directors.
It stated that the aforementioned people passed a special resolution on the meeting regarding the change of Company name and Address without giving requisite notice and the involvement of members of the association and the plaintiffs, and the court ruled that the change of name and address of the 1st defendant was null, void and of no effect.
The court order further made a declaration that the purported written resolution- made on the 20th July, 2023 in respect of the removal of the plaintiffs- as directors and subscribers of the 1st defendant company, and appointment of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants, as directors, and subscribers of the 1st defendants, is null, void and of no effect.
It therefore ordered to maintain/restore the plaintiffs as directors and/or subscribers of the association.
The court passed a mandatory injunction compelling the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th defendants to vacate offices as directors of the 1st defendant company, which they purport to hold by virtue of the aforesaid written resolution on the 20th July, 2023.
Speaking to Politico, the 1st plaintiff, Millicent Kargbo on behalf of the other plaintiffs expressed excitement for “a sound judgment on the matter we took before the court which was an interpretation of the company Act of 2009 as amended and articles in the M&A of the company.”
She applauds the judiciary for what she says was a good job and is optimistic that it will serve as a testament to many people who do not believe in “our judicial system that justice can be served.”
“My team is ready to work with our sisters on the other side to rebuild our organization. We will intimate the public on plans for the AGM as we work towards the Court’s Order to convene an AGM not later than 30th September, 2024.”
However, when contacted for a reaction to the court order, the 2nd Defendant, Yeama Thompson said that she was constrained to speak to the issue “Due to the court order restraining the plaintiffs and defendants from engaging the media and I respect the ruling.”
The female media group was established in 2020 after a division that emanated from a controversial election of the executive of Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL), a group established to promote the welfare of female journalists and report issues affecting women and girls in Sierra Leone. Efforts to restore the impasse was unsuccessful.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (15/07/24)
