Serry Kamal
Family sources have confirmed to Politico that Sierra Leone's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Serry Kamal died this morning in the United States hours after a relapse, following what has been described as a "major spinal operation" at the John Hopkins Hospital.
The sources would not say when his remains will be flown in but his death comes amid persistent speculation that he was planning to re-enter politics after his controversial sacking in December 2010.
Even though he denied it, many said he intended to revive the People's Democratic Party (PDP-Sorbeh) which draws its support from northern Sierra Leone - stronghold of the governing All People's Congress party.
He opposed the candidacy of Ernest Bai Koroma in the lead up to the 2007 presidential election which Koroma won, preferring Eddie Turay who had been the flag-bearer in the 1996 election in which Ahmad Tejan Kabbah emerged victorious.
At the APC's annual convention in 2010 he was widely rumoured to be nurturing the ambition of running to lead the party in 2012. He later took to the podium and endorsed President Koroma for another term amid an amendment of the party's constitution to choose the flag-bearer much earlier than stipulated.
Since his sacking as Attorney General and Minister of Justice the accomplished lawyer kept a low profile.
Analysts say his death means any talk of creating a counter-weight to the APC in its northern stronghold has been put at bay, at least for the time being.
Politico Online 18/01/14
