8°26′49″N 13°16′10″W / 8.44705937051286°N 13.269491499338054°W Kabassa Lodge is the former residence of the President of Sierra Leone and currently belongs to the state of Sierra Leone. It is located on 25 acres at the summit of Juba Hill in Freetown, Sierra Leone.[1][2]
Early history
editIn 1978, President Siaka Stevens gave International Construction Company the contract to build a presidential residence.[1] The company was owned by businessman Jamil Sahid Mohamed Khalil.[1][2]
Kabassa Lodge took two years months to complete.[1] It was finished in time for the 1980 O.A.U. Summit.[1][2]
Confiscation
editAfter the 1992 coup, Valentine Strasser, the head of state, confiscated and occupied Kabassa Lodge, declaring it a state asset.[1]
Ownership
editOver the years, ownership of Kabassa Lodge has been disputed over the years. Many Sierra Leoneans holding that the property was paid for by the state and therefore is the property of the state. However, Siaka Stevens willed the property to his children and his family believe that they are the rightful owners.
In 2012, during the Ernest Bai Koroma presidency, the All People's Congress (APC) administration gave the property to the Stevens' family, who turned it into several rental apartments.[1]
The building remains in a state of disrepair.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Remoe, Vickie. "Sierra Leone: The past and present state of Kabassa Lodge (Photos)". www.switsalone.com. SwitSalone. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- ^ a b c "Who Owns Kabasa Lodge =COMMENTARY= Trumpet Newspaper – Salone Today". www.salonetoday.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2018-07-09.