Supreme Court of Sierra Leone

The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone is the highest court in Sierra Leone. It has final jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional cases within Sierra Leone, and its decisions cannot be appealed. The Supreme Court has the exclusive constitutional power to overturn ruling of lower courts within the jurisdiction of Sierra Leone. The Supreme Court, along with the Court of Appeals, High Court of Justice, and magistrate courts form the Judicial branch of the Government of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone Supreme Court
Sierra Leone Supreme Court building
Established	1960; 64 years ago (1960)
Jurisdiction	Sierra Leone
Location	Siaka Stevens Street Freetown, Sierra Leone
Authorised by	Constitution of Sierra Leone
Number of positions	Five Supreme Court Justices
Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
Currently	Nicholas Browne Marke
Since	December 2023

Prior to 1971, there was a right of appeal from the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, England.

The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone consists of Supreme Court justices, headed by the Chief Justice. The Judges are nominated by the President of Sierra Leone and must be confirmed by the Parliament of Sierra Leone by at least 60% majority vote in order to take office.^[1]

The Supreme Court building, known as Law Court, is located on Siaka Stevens Street in the Central business district in downtown Freetown.

Point of correction: justice C.O.E. Cole was never a politician. He served as ceremonial president for one day only, April 19 1971,and after that he continue to serve as the chief justice of Sierra Leone. Editor; Haroun Rashid Kamara Sr.

Membership

Chief Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards

Name	Since	Notes
Desmond Babatunde Edwards	19 December 2018
Vivian Margaret Solomon[2][3]	19 December 2014
Patrick Omolade Hamilton[2][4]
Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke[2][3]	19 December 2014	Acting Chief Justice
Emmanuel Ekundayo Robert[2][3]	19 December 2014

Chief Justices

• Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke (December 2023-)
• Desmond Babatunde Edwards (19 Dec 2018-December 2023)
• Abdulai Hamid Charm (11 Jan 2016–19 Dec 2018)
• Valesius Thomas (2015) (acting)
• Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh (25 Jan 2008–2015)
• Ade Renner Thomas (2005-2008)^[5][6]
• Abdulai Timbo (2002–2004)^[7][8]
• Desmond Edgar Luke (1998-2002)
• Samuel Beccles Davies (1993-1998)
• Sheku Fomba Kutubu (1987-1993)
• Eben Livesey Luke (1978-1985)
• Christopher Okoro Cole (1970-1978)
• Banja Tejan-Sie (1967-1968)
• Gershon Collier (1967)
• Sir Samuel Bankole Jones (1963-1965)
• Sir Salako Benka-Coker (1960-)
• Sir Vahe Robert Bairamian (1957–1959)^[9][10]
• Sir Paget John Bourke (1955–1957)^[11][12]
• Sir Allan Chalmers Smith (1951–1955)^[13]
• Sir John Alfred Lucie Smith (c.1949)
• Sir George Graham Paul (1939-1945) ^[14][15]
• Ambrose Henry Webb (1937-1939)^[16]
• Sir Arthur Frederick Clarence Webber (1933-1937)
• Sir Mervyn Lawrence Tew (1929-c.1932) ^[17]
• Sir Gilbert Kenelm Treffry Purcell (1911-1929)^[18][19][20]
• Sir P. Crampton Smyly (1901-1911)^[21]
• George Stallard (1897-1901) ^[22]
• Edward Bruce Hindle (1895-1897) (died in office))
• Sir William Hollingworth Quayle Jones (1887-1895
• Sir Samuel Lewis (1882, 1884)(acting) (acting)
• Francis F. Pinkett (1881, 1882-1887)^[23] (died in office)
• Sir William Warren Streeten (1880-1881)
• Horatio James Huggins (1876-1880)
• George French (1867-1875)
• John Charles Carr (1841-1865)^[24][25]
• Logan Hook (1841)(acting)
• Owen Flintoff (1840-1841) (died in office)
• Robert Rankin (1833-1839) (died in office) .^[26]
• Sir John William Jeffcott (1830-1833) (removed from office)
• George Rendall (1829-1830)^[27]
• John William Bannister (1828–1829) (died in office)^[28]
• Joseph Reffell (1927) (acting)^[29]
• Daniel Malloy Hamilton (1824-1826) (died in office)
• Kenneth Macaulay (1824) (acting)
• Edward Fitzgerald (1817-1823) (died in office)
• Dr. Robert Hogan (1816-1817) (died in office)
• Robert Thorpe (1808-1815)

References

1. Blyden, Sylvia O. (6 December 2011). "In Sierra Leone, As President Ernest Koroma appoints yet another two female Judges, Kono Chiefs at Chief Justice's Chambers". Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana v. The Attorney-General Minister of Justice and Victor Bockarie Foh, [2015 SLSC Sierra Leone S.C. 4/2015] (SC 2015-09-09).
3. "Supreme Court Judges Sworn to Office". The Republic of Sierra Leone State House. Freetown, Sierra Leone. 19 December 2014. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
4. Blyden, Sylvia (23 January 2009). "In Sierra Leone, Justice Hamilton Sworn Into Supreme Court". Awareness Times Newspaper. Freetown, Sierra Leone. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
5. Fyle, Magbaily C. (27 March 2006). Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone. Scarecrow Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-8108-6504-4. Prominent barrister and educator, Renner-Thomas became chief justice of Sierra Leone in 2005.
6. "Statement Delivered By The Hon Dr Ade Renner-Thomas At State House Last Friday On The Occasion Of His Taking Leave Of His Excellency President Ernest Koroma Before His Retirement From Office As Chief Justice". Awareness Times. 3 November 2008. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016. The Full Text of the Statement delivered at State House by Dr. Renner Thomas before he started his retirement on Friday 31st October 2008, is reproduced on this page for our cherished readers.
7. "19 May". Sierra Leone News. 19 May 2002. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2016. A small group of between 100 and 200 supporters quickly gathered at the presidential lodge to see Kabbah and his new vice president, former Justice Minister and Attorney-General Solomon Berewa, swear and subscribe the presidential and vice presidential oaths before Chief Justice Abdulai Timbo.
8. Jalloh, Alhaji (9 October 2008). "Exclusive: Interview with former Chief Justice and PPRC boss". The Patriotic Vanguard. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016. Dr. Timbo also served as Chief Justice before he retired in November 2004 at the age of 65.
9. "No. 41155". The London Gazette. 20 August 1957. p. 4928.
10. "No. 41727". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1959. p. 3698.
11. "Mayo Man Appointed Chief Justice". Ballina Herald. 18 June 1955. p. 4. Retrieved 18 August 2016. Mr. Paget John Bourke, Puisne Judge, has been appointed Chief Justice of Sierra Leone.
12. "No. 41059". The London Gazette. 30 April 1957. p. 2598.
13. "No. 39732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1953. p. 2.
14. "No. 34767". The London Gazette. 5 January 1940. p. 79.
15. "No. 37133". The London Gazette. 15 June 1945. p. 3140.
16. "Chief Justice of Sierra Leone". The Scotsman. Midlothian, Scotland. 5 October 1937. Retrieved 10 September 2016 – via Genes Reunited. The King has approved the appointment of Mr Abrose Henry Webb, Puisne Judge, Kenya, to be Chief-Justice of Sierra Leone on the retirement of Sir Arthur Webber.
17. "Social and Personal". The Glasgow Herald. 21 June 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
18. "No. 28522". The London Gazette. 15 August 1911. p. 6061.
19. "No. 29671". The London Gazette. 18 July 1916. p. 7094.
20. Wyse, Akintola (11 December 2003). H. C. Bankole-Bright and Politics in Colonial Sierra Leone, 1919-1958. Cambridge University Press. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-521-53333-1. Of these cases, eight were tried by G.K.T. Purcell, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone (1911-1929).
21. "No. 27378". The London Gazette. 19 November 1901. p. 7472.
22. "No. 26852". The London Gazette. 14 May 1897. p. 2680.
23. The Law Journal. Vol. 22–1887. London: F.E. Streeten. 28 January 1888. p. 360.
24. "No. 20009". The London Gazette. 20 August 1841. p. 2128. The Queen has also been pleased to appoint John Carr, Esq. to be Chief Justice of the Colony of Sierra Leone and its dependencies.
25. Boase, Frederic (1892). Modern English Biography. Vol. I. A-H. Netherton and Worth. p. 1625. ...chief justice 20 Aug. 1841 to 1865...
26. The Spectator. Vol. 6. F.C. Westley. 1833. p. 569. Retrieved 26 August 2016. Mr. Rankin has been appointed Chief Justice of Sierra Leone.
27. Gray, J.M. (11 June 2015). A History of the Gambia. Cambridge University Press. p. 344. ISBN 978-1-107-51196-5. On 23 February 1830 George Rendall, acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Gambia.
28. Dubinskey, Karen; Perry, Adele; Yu, Henry (28 January 2016). Within and Without the Nation: Canadian History as Transnational History. University of Toronto Press. pp. 78*79. ISBN 978-1-4426-6650-4. Retrieved 9 September 2016. Bannister was sworn in as chief justice on 5 April and almost immediately found himself running the colony on a temporary basis...
29. "No. 19793". The London Gazette. 22 November 1839. p. 2362.

External links

• http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/sierra_leone.htm
• http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200517690.shtml
• http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=1&num=11008