Acting Chief Justice Of Sierra Leone Expresses Hope In Sierra Leonean Lawyers

By Sahr Ibrahim Komba
Acting Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Justice Browne-Mark has expressed hope in Sierra Leonean lawyers.
He expressed this optimism at the end of the four days conference of ECOWAS Court of Justice noting that conference helped Sierra Leonean lawyers know how ECOWAS Court of Justice operates and that they are now in a better position to represent clients in the court.
He thanked organizers and participants of the conference and said that the importance of the conference cannot be over emphasized adding that the conference created the opportunity for Sierra Leonean lawyers to learn about ECOWAS laws and practices.
He also said that the conference has helped to enrich the knowledge of young lawyers of Sierra Leone about the different provisions of the ECOWAS Court. He maintained that the conference has also provided training for young Sierra Leonean lawyers which he said will help Sierra Leonean lawyers to represent client in the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
He mentioned that this will encourage Sierra Leoneans to take cases to the court and be represented by SL lawyers adding that majority of cases in the Court are argued by lawyers from member countries instead of Sierra Leonean lawyers.
He assured the President of the ECOWAS Court that the Judiciary of Sierra Leone will pay more attention to the decision of the court as compared to the past.
In his closing statement, the President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Honorable Justice Edward Amoako Asante thanked the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone for participating in the opening of the conference. He also thanked the participants noting that they have showed the ECOWAS Court of Justice has been playing a significant role in defending and upholding fundamental human rights and the rule of law in the region.
He said that member states have shown in a very strong way that the ECOWAS Court of Justice has been there for all adding that the importance of human mechanisms cannot be overemphasized in the dispensation of justice in the region. He said that efforts have been made to amend and introduce new rules.
He urged member states to take necessary steps to domesticate the ECOWAS protocols into their national laws in order to enact laws that will play effective role in the integration process. He called on participants to strengthen synergies with national courts that will contribute to the resolution of the existing lacunas.