Supreme Court of Sierra Leone explained

Court Name:	Sierra Leone Supreme Court
Jurisdiction:	Sierra Leone
Location:	Siaka Stevens StreetFreetown, Sierra Leone
Authority:	Constitution of Sierra Leone
Positions:	Five Supreme Court Justices
Chiefjudgetitle:	Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
Chiefjudgename:	Nicholas Browne Marke
Termstart:	December 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.

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

!Name!Since!Notes

Desmond Babatunde Edwards	19 December 2018
Vivian Margaret Solomon^[2] ^[3]	19 December 2014
Patrick Omolade Hamilton^[4]
Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke	19 December 2014	Acting Chief Justice
Emmanuel Ekundayo Robert	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) http://www.statehouse.gov.sl/index.php/press-release/1119-office-of-the-president-press-releasehttp://www.thesierraleonetelegraph.com/?p=11133
• 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 http://www.sierralii.org/sl/judgment/supreme-court/1987/1 (1987-1993) http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/commwlb13&div=25&id=&page=
• Eben Livesey Luke (1978-1985)https://books.google.com/books?id=LS5gzSS0M4EC&dq=Eben+Livesey-Luke+chief+justice&pg=PA78http://www.ecoi.net/local_link/238687/347862_en.html
• Christopher Okoro Cole (1970-1978)https://books.google.com/books?id=D6HKAgAAQBAJ&dq=sierra+leone+1933+chief+justice&pg=PA679http://www.sierralii.org/sl/judgment/supreme-court/1978/1
• Banja Tejan-Sie (1967-1968) https://books.google.com/books?id=D6HKAgAAQBAJ&dq=sierra+leone+1933+chief+justice&pg=PA679
• Gershon Collier (1967)https://books.google.com/books?id=q31SWae8fhIC&dq=Gershon+Collier&pg=PA38
• Sir Samuel Bankole Jones (1963-1965) https://books.google.com/books?id=OIq-00JsNnYC&dq=Sir+Samuel+Bankole+Jones&pg=PA230https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43711/page/6637/data.pdf
• Sir Salako Benka-Coker (1960-) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39243/supplement/3083/data.pdfhttps://books.google.com/books?id=q31SWae8fhIC&dq=Salako+Benka-Coker&pg=PA19
• Sir Vahe Robert Bairamian (1957–1959)
• Sir Paget John Bourke (1955–1957)^[9]
• Sir Allan Chalmers Smith (1951–1955)
• Sir John Alfred Lucie Smith (c.1949)https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38628/supplement/2794/data.pdf
• Sir George Graham Paul (1939-1945)
• Ambrose Henry Webb (1937-1939)^[10]
• Sir Arthur Frederick Clarence Webber (1933-1937) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33917/page/1428/data.pdf
• Sir Mervyn Lawrence Tew (1929-c.1932) ^[11] https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33844/supplement/4465/data.pdfhttps://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33513/page/4360/data.pdfhttps://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33844/supplement/4465/data.pdfhttp://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8952038
• Sir Gilbert Kenelm Treffry Purcell (1911-1929)^[12]
• Sir P. Crampton Smyly (1901-1911)
• George Stallard (1897-1901) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26852/page/2680/data.pdf
• Edward Bruce Hindle (1895-1897) (died in office))https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/35677010/http://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/viewrecord/bl/0001485/18970330/067/0010http://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=an%20hindle&county=london,%20england&from=1850&to=1899&page=1http://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=an%20hindle&county=london,%20england&from=1850&to=1899&page=1
• Sir William Hollingworth Quayle Jones (1887-1895 https://books.google.com/books?id=Abx6EqTRfqEC&dq=chief+justice+1866+sierra+leone&pg=PA611https://books.google.com/books?id=YyY5AQAAIAAJ&dq=sierra+leone+chief+justice+1882&pg=PA462
• Sir Samuel Lewis (1882, 1884)(acting)http://www.natinpasadvantage.com/Sierra_Leone_History/Sir_Samuel_Lewis_and_the_Legislative_Council.html (acting)
• Francis F. Pinkett (1881, 1882-1887)^[13] (died in office)
• Sir William Warren Streeten (1880-1881) https://books.google.com/books?id=noblVpQln10C&dq=William+Warren+Streeten+sierra+leone&pg=PA96https://books.google.com/books?id=tFlNAQAAMAAJ&dq=william+warren+streeten+sierra+leone&pg=PA248https://books.google.com/books?id=DwEyAAAAIAAJ&dq=william+warren+streeten+chief+justice&pg=PA209
• Horatio James Huggins (1876-1880) https://books.google.com/books?id=T9UNAAAAQAAJ&dq=chief+justice+sierra+leone+1866&pg=PA371
• George French (1867-1875)https://books.google.com/books?id=Hjs4AQAAIAAJ&dq=Sir+Charles+Cooper+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA186
• John Charles Carr (1841-1865)^[14]
• Logan Hook (1841)(acting)https://books.google.com/books?id=UXJbAAAAQAAJ&dq=acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone+1840&pg=PA589https://books.google.com/books?id=dl4SAAAAYAAJ&dq=logan+hook+acting+chief+justice&pg=RA1-PA49https://books.google.com/books?id=NWsSAAAAYAAJ&dq=joseph+reffell+acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA401
• Owen Flintoff (1840-1841) (died in office) https://books.google.com/books?id=VRlKAQAAMAAJ&dq=chief+justice+sierra+leone+1840&pg=PA2276https://books.google.com/books?id=pLIzAQAAMAAJ&dq=owen+flintoff+sierra+leone&pg=PA1221http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/29th-may-1841/8/from-our-second-edition-of-last-week
• Robert Rankin (1833-1839) (died in office) .^[15] https://books.google.com/books?id=qrYRAAAAYAAJ&dq=richard+rankin+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA431http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/22nd-june-1833/13/cart-before-the-horsehttps://books.google.com/books?id=5WZdAAAAIAAJ&dq=robert+rankin+chief+justice+sierra+leone+appointed&pg=RA1-PA362https://books.google.com/books?id=9MUhAAAAMAAJ&dq=robert+richard+rankin+appointed+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA667https://books.google.com/books?id=EBJEAQAAMAAJ&dq=robert+rankin+sierra+leone+death&pg=PA130
• Sir John William Jeffcott (1830-1833) (removed from office)https://books.google.com/books?id=oB5DAAAAcAAJ&dq=george+rendall+1829+acting+chief+justice&pg=PR156
• George Rendall (1829-1830)^[16]
• John William Bannister (1828–1829) (died in office)^[17] https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtoKAAAAYAAJ&dq=John+William+Bannister+chief+justice&pg=PA383https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtoKAAAAYAAJ&dq=john+bannister+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA383
• Joseph Reffell (1927) (acting)https://books.google.com/books?id=2DZbAAAAQAAJ&dq=chief+justice+sierra+leone+1827&pg=RA2-PA28
• Daniel Malloy Hamilton (1824-1826) (died in office) https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ5KAQAAMAAJ&dq=daniel+hamilton+chief+justice+sierra+leone+1824&pg=PA248https://books.google.com/books?id=beU9AAAAcAAJ&dq=kenneth+macauley+acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA404https://books.google.com/books?id=ABJKAQAAMAAJ&dq=daniel+malloy+hamilton+chief+justice+sierra+leone+london+gazette&pg=PA981
• Kenneth Macaulay (1824) (acting) https://books.google.com/books?id=HKFFAQAAMAAJ&dq=sierra+leone+1824+chief+justice&pg=PA122https://books.google.com/books?id=fXN5AgAAQBAJ&dq=kenneth+macauley+acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PT209
• Edward Fitzgerald (1817-1823) (died in office) https://books.google.com/books?id=noblVpQln10C&dq=edward+fitzgerald+sierra+leone+appointed+chief+justice&pg=PA31
• Dr. Robert Hogan (1816-1817) (died in office) https://books.google.com/books?id=LdcnAAAAYAAJ&dq=dr.+hogan+chief+justice+sierra+leone&pg=PA470https://books.google.com/books?id=MsQCAAAAIAAJ&dq=dr.+hogan+sierra+leone&pg=PA228
• Robert Thorpe (1808-1815) https://books.google.com/books?id=vopXk5MZ6K0C&q=robert+thorpe&pg=PA24http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/thorpe_robert_7E.htmlhttps://books.google.com/books?id=FrzKAgAAQBAJ&dq=sierra+leone+chief+justice+1813&pg=PA279

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Blyden . Sylvia O. . In Sierra Leone, As President Ernest Koroma appoints yet another two female Judges, Kono Chiefs at Chief Justice’s Chambers . 25 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120525054230/http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/printer_200519315.shtml . May 25, 2012 . en . Dec 6, 2011 . usurped.
2. Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana v. The Attorney-General Minister of Justice and Victor Bockarie Foh. SC. Sierra Leone. [2015] SLSC. S.C. 4/2015. 2015-09-09. http://www.sierralii.org/sl/judgment/supreme-court/2015/1. 2016-06-30.
3. Web site: Supreme Court Judges Sworn to Office. . 2014-12-19. The Republic of Sierra Leone State House. Freetown, Sierra Leone. https://web.archive.org/web/20160630145232/http://www.statehouse.gov.sl/index.php/contact/1086-supreme-court-judges-sworn-to-office. 2016-06-30. live. 2016-06-30.
4. Web site: In Sierra Leone, Justice Hamilton Sworn Into Supreme Court. Blyden. Sylvia. 2009-01-23. Awareness Times Newspaper. Freetown, Sierra Leone. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314021534/http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=1&num=11008&printer=1. 2016-03-14. live. 2016-06-30.
5. Book: Fyle, Magbaily C.. Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone. registration. 2006-03-27. Scarecrow Press. 978-0-8108-6504-4. 161. Prominent barrister and educator, Renner-Thomas became chief justice of Sierra Leone in 2005..
6. Web site: 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 . . 2008-11-03 . Awareness Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20161013190925/http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=5&num=10262 . 2016-10-13 . live . 2016-10-13 . 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. Web site: 19 May . . 2002-05-19 . Sierra Leone News . https://web.archive.org/web/20080615131935/http://www.sierra-leone.org/Archives/slnews0502.html . 2008-06-15 . live . 2016-09-09 . 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. Web site: Exclusive: Interview with former Chief Justice and PPRC boss . Jalloh . Alhaji . 2008-10-09 . The Patriotic Vanguard . https://archive.today/20161013183541/http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/exclusive-interview-with-former-chief-justice-and-pprc-boss . 13 October 2016 . live . 2016-10-13 . Dr. Timbo also served as Chief Justice before he retired in November 2004 at the age of 65. . dmy-all .
9. News: . Mayo Man Appointed Chief Justice . Ballina Herald. 4. 1955-06-18 . 2016-08-18 . "Mr. Paget John Bourke, Puisne Judge, has been appointed Chief Justice of Sierra Leone.".
10. News: 1937-10-05 . Chief Justice of Sierra Leone . The Scotsman . Midlothian, Scotland . 2016-09-10 . Genes Reunited . subscription . "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.".
11. News: Social and Personal . . 1929-06-21 . 15 . 2016-08-18 .
12. Book: Wyse, Akintola. H. C. Bankole-Bright and Politics in Colonial Sierra Leone, 1919-1958. 2003-12-11. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-53333-1. 232. Of these cases, eight were tried by G.K.T. Purcell, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone (1911-1929)..
13. Book: The Law Journal. 22-1887. 1888-01-28. F.E. Streeten. London. 360.
14. Book: Boase, Frederic. Modern English Biography. I. A-H. 1892. Netherton and Worth. 1625. "...chief justice 20 Aug. 1841 to 1865...".
15. Book: The Spectator. 6. 1833. F.C. Westley. 569 . 2016-08-26 . Mr. Rankin has been appointed Chief Justice of Sierra Leone..
16. Book: Gray, J.M.. A History of the Gambia. 2015-06-11. Cambridge University Press. 978-1-107-51196-5. 344. "On 23 February 1830 George Rendall, acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Gambia.".
17. Book: Dubinskey. Karen. Perry. Adele. Yu. Henry. Within and Without the Nation: Canadian History as Transnational History. 2016-09-09. 2016-01-28. University of Toronto Press. 978-1-4426-6650-4. 78*79. "Bannister was sworn in as chief justice on 5 April and almost immediately found himself running the colony on a temporary basis...".