President Kabbah Attends Official Funeral of Late S.B. Marah (MP)
By Yusuf Alghali

Friday 21st November, 2003, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and Vice President Berewa joined thousands of mourners, relatives, leaders and stalwarts of the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) at the official laying-out and funeral service of the late Honourable Sewa Bockarie Marah, MP, at the State Hall of Parliament Building. He passed away on Thursday 13th November, 2003.

Also at the ceremony were the Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Justice Edmund Cowan; Deputy Speaker Elizabeth Lavally, Leader of the Minority Party and Deputy Leader of the Majority Party Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma and Hon. M. S. Fofanah respectively, government ministers, parliamentarians as well as representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps.

Muslim prayers were held for the repose of the remains of the late Member of Parliament, laid in a cream-coloured casket mounted upon a catafalque in the State Hall of Parliament. After a sermon delivered by Alhaji Police Sergeant Kelfala Bangura tributes were paid to the memory of the late MP, first by Speaker of Parliament Justice Edmund Cowan and followed by Dr. S. S. Banya SLPP National Chairman, Hon. R. E. S. Largao, Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma, Hon. M. S. Fofanah, son of the late MP Abu Marah and daughter Fatmata Marah, a representative of the St. Edwards Secondary School his alma mater and Hon. Paramount Chief Alimamy Lahai Mansaray V.

The funeral procession left Parliament Building at 12:45 PM for the Jamiul Quddus Mosque, at Magazine Cut for Friday Jumaat prayers, which was closely followed by the funeral prayers.

With thousands lining the streets, a very distinct funereal atmosphere hung over the city as the body of the late S.B. Marah was driven in a long cortege from the Jamiul Quddus Mosque, through the entire length of Kissy Road, onto its final resting place at the Kissy Road cemetery.

At the Kissy Road Cemetery President Kabbah also joined the interment service that climaxed the last journey of a man whose passing-away many described as a great loss to the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party.

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