A civil society group known as The Progressives has filed a legal challenge against the Government of Sierra Leone and the Electoral Commission (ECSL), calling into question the legitimacy of the country’s controversial June 24, 2023 general elections.
In a statement released on Saturday, July 27, the UK- and Sierra Leone-based advocacy organization confirmed that the case was formally lodged in court on July 23, 2025. The lawsuit names the Government as first defendant and the ECSL as second, and seeks judicial redress for what the group calls “a fundamentally flawed and compromised electoral process.”
The case comes in the wake of sustained local and international criticism surrounding the conduct of the 2023 polls. Among the strongest indictments was the final report of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), which cited “statistical inconsistencies, lack of transparency, intimidation, and political violence” as key features of the election.
The EU report highlighted irregularities in the tabulation of results, a failure by ECSL to release disaggregated polling station data, and obstructed access for observers—all factors the Progressives say “eroded public confidence and compromised the legitimacy of the outcome.”
Adding weight to the claims were reports of fatal violence outside opposition party headquarters, intimidation of independent observers, alleged abuse of state resources during the campaign, and suppression of civic dissent under the 2021 Cybercrimes Act. These developments, according to The Progressives, reflect a broader democratic backslide.
“The democratic fabric of Sierra Leone is being shredded under the weight of electoral fraud and unchecked impunity,” said Winston Ojukutu Macaulay Jnr, Head of Communications for the group. “This legal action is about restoring transparency, accountability, and public trust in Sierra Leone’s electoral institutions.”
The group’s Chairman and Executive Director, Wachuku Wadi Williams, emphasized that the case seeks not only to challenge the legitimacy of the 2023 elections but also to strengthen democratic norms and electoral justice in the country.
The petition has been copied to key diplomatic missions in Sierra Leone, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Nigeria, Turkey, and others, as well as domestic bodies like the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the Sierra Leone Bar Association, and all registered political parties.
The Progressives say their legal initiative is intended as a non-violent, constitutional path to challenge “a stolen mandate,” and they have vowed to pursue the matter to its conclusion.
As of press time, neither the Government of Sierra Leone nor the ECSL has issued an official response to the lawsuit.
By Arthur Commings
