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Supreme Court of Sierra Leone

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Sierra Leone Supreme Court
Sierra Leone Supreme Court building
Established1960; 65 years ago (1960)
JurisdictionSierra Leone
LocationSiaka Stevens Street Freetown, Sierra Leone
Authorised byConstitution of Sierra Leone
Number of positionsFive Supreme Court Justices
Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
CurrentlyNicholas Colin Browne-Marke
SinceDecember 2023

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.

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.

Membership

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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

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References

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  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.
  2. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c "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.
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  6. ^ Thomas, Abdul Rashid (28 December 2015). "President Koroma of Sierra Leone sacks senior ministers". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b Fyle, Magbaily C. (27 March 2006). Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone. Scarecrow Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-8108-6504-4.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "Zachariah v Morowah (SC MISC APP 2 of 1987) [1987] SLSC 1 (23 June 1987)". sierralii.gov.sl. 23 June 1987. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
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  19. ^ "No. 39243". The London Gazette. 7 June 1951.
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  21. ^ "No. 41727". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1959. p. 3698.
  22. ^ "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.
  23. ^ "No. 41059". The London Gazette. 30 April 1957. p. 2598.
  24. ^ "No. 39732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1953. p. 2.
  25. ^ "No. 38628". The London Gazette. 3 June 1949.
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  27. ^ "No. 37133". The London Gazette. 15 June 1945. p. 3140.
  28. ^ "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.
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  30. ^ "Social and Personal". The Glasgow Herald. 21 June 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
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  34. ^ "No. 29671". The London Gazette. 18 July 1916. p. 7094.
  35. ^ 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).
  36. ^ "No. 27378". The London Gazette. 19 November 1901. p. 7472.
  37. ^ "No. 26852". The London Gazette. 14 May 1897. p. 2680.
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  40. ^ Royal Colonial Institute (Great Britain); Royal Empire Society (Great Britain) (1889). Proceedings of the Royal Colonial Institute.
  41. ^ "Sir Samuel Lewis and the Legistlative Council". www.natinpasadvantage.com. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  42. ^ The Law Journal. Vol. 22–1887. London: F.E. Streeten. 28 January 1888. p. 360.
  43. ^ a b Sibthorpe, A. B. C. (1970). The History of Sierra Leone. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-7146-1769-5.
  44. ^ The Law Journal. E.B. Ince. 1881.
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  46. ^ Office, Great Britain Colonial (1879). The Colonial Office List. Harrison.
  47. ^ The Solicitors' Journal. 1878.
  48. ^ "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.
  49. ^ Boase, Frederic (1892). Modern English Biography. Vol. I. A-H. Netherton and Worth. p. 1625. ...chief justice 20 Aug. 1841 to 1865...
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  60. ^ 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...
  61. ^ The Annual Biography and Obituary for the Year ... Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. 1830.
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  70. ^ Missionary Register. Seeley, Jackson, & Halliday. 1817.
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  74. ^ Hogg, Peter (4 February 2014). The African Slave Trade and Its Suppression: A Classified and Annotated Bibliography of Books, Pamphlets and Periodical. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-79235-2.
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