Freetown, 23rd October, 2026 – The National Council of Paramount Chiefs of Sierra Leone (NCPC-SL) has strongly condemned the unlawful exhumation and desecration of the remains of Hon. PC Cyril Foray Gondor II in Pendembu Town, describing it as a “premeditated act of violence, criminality and sacrilege.”
In a press release issued on 23rd October, the Council said the incident occurred on the night of Friday 16th and early Saturday 17th October, 2026, in Upper Bambara Chiefdom, Kailahun District.
According to the NCPC-SL, PC Gondor, who was Paramount Chief of Upper Bambara Chiefdom and Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Kailahun District, died on 5th September, 2026. He was taken to Pendembu on 16th October for his final traditional rites.
The Council stated that his remains were handed over to chiefdom stakeholders and respectfully laid to rest, but shortly after burial, his tomb was destroyed, his remains exhumed and paraded through the town, and his coffin set ablaze.
The group said five houses belonging to the late chief, his wife and close family members were also vandalized and looted, with graphic photos and videos of the act later circulated on social media.
“The institution of Paramount Chieftaincy is a revered and constitutionally recognized institution, and remains of a Paramount Chief must be accorded the highest level of respect, honour and dignity,” the Council said.
The NCPC-SL, which comprises Paramount Chiefs from all 190 chiefdoms in the country, said customs and traditions do not justify violence and noted that Paramount Chiefs in Kailahun and other districts have previously received their final rites without incident. It stressed that the Pendembu incident has no bearing on cherished secret societies.
The Council also condemned the recording and circulation of the graphic content, warning that it amounts to a criminal offence under the Cybersecurity and Crime Act, 2021, as amended.
The NCPC-SL called on the Sierra Leone Police to strengthen its investigation and effect arrests impartially, and urged the Judiciary to expeditiously try, convict and sentence those found culpable.
It further called on the Government to provide adequate security to the bereaved family to ensure the final rites are performed without hindrance, and recommended the setting up of an independent investigative committee including the NCPC-SL.
The Council appealed to Government, businesses and the public to support the bereaved family and help restore properties damaged during the violence, and urged citizens to immediately stop sharing the graphic images.
It appealed to residents of Pendembu, Upper Bambara Chiefdom and Kailahun District to remain calm, law-abiding and peaceful, and to assist the Police with credible information leading to the arrest of suspects.
“The act of desecrating the dead, in our culture, is a total denigration to humanity and is considered a criminal act,” the Council said, reaffirming its commitment to peace, rule of law and preservation of tradition.
The release was jointly signed by National Chairperson, PC Dr. Masakma Madibie II, and National Secretary General, PC Larry S.B. Fangawa IV.
