Ex-Civil War leader wins Sierra Leone vote; opponent to challenge result

Sierra Leone's opposition challenger Julius Maada Bio has secured his first term in office as a civilian when he was declared the winner of a controversial presidential run-off - but his opponent vowed to contest the result.

Bio, a former soldier who briefly led a military junta more than two decades ago, won 51.81 per cent of ballots in last month's election, according to official results.

He beat Samura Kamara, who secured 48.19 per cent of the vote, ending a decade in power for Kamara's All Peoples' Congress (APC) in the poor West African nation.

Cheers and songs erupted among thousands of Bio's supporters who were gathered in the capital Freetown yesterday evening. Shortly after the announcement, Bio was sworn in as president, handed a symbolic command baton by the country's top judge.

But hopes for a smooth transition were soon thrown into doubt after Kamara said he was rejecting the National Election Commission's results.

"We dispute the results and we will take legal action to correct them," Kamara said in a televised address, calling on his supporters to stay calm.