Sierra Leone Legal System and Legal Research

Hanatu Kabbah holds an LL.B. (Hons.) and an LL.M. (Public Service Law) degree from NYU. She is a senior legal consultant and researcher, public interest practitioner with extensive experience working on access to justice in the formal and informal justice sector. She has considerable expertise in human rights, rule of law and governance with broad work experience in conflict, fragile and post conflict & transitional societies. She has researched widely on rule of law issues and developed tools for legal and non-legal advocates. She taught at the Faculty of Law, University of the Gambia and was the Director of the Law Clinic of the UTG.

She received her Bachelor of Laws Degree with Honours (LL.B. HONS.) from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone and a Degree of Utter Barrister at the Sierra Leone Law School. She was admitted to the Sierra Leone Bar in 1999. She holds a Diploma in the Equal Status and Human Rights of Women in 2002 from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at Lund University in Sweden. She has also studied at the Rene Cassin International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France and at the OMCT (World Organization against Torture), Special Procedures Seminar, “Addressing the Economic, Social and Cultural Root Causes of Violence through the UN Special Procedures System” held in Geneva, Switzerland. She is also a Transitional Justice Fellow after studying at the Transitional Justice Fellowship Programme organized by the International Centre for Transitional Justice and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation in Cape Town, South Africa in 2007. She is the author of ‘A Training Manual on Women’s Rights in Sierra Leone’.

1. Introduction

Sierra Leone is situated on the West Coast of Africa and covers an area of 72,000 square kilometers. The country is bounded on the north and north-east by the Republic of Guinea, on the West by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Republic of Liberia.

Sierra Leone, a former British Colony, gained independence on the 27th April 1961. The country is divided into three provincial areas (Southern, Eastern, and Northern Province) and the Western Area. Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone. Prior to 2017, there were 14 districts, 149 chiefdoms, and 394 wards in Sierra Leone. In 2017, one new province (Northwestern), two new districts (Falaba and Karena), and by de-amalgamation 41 new chiefdoms were created. There are now four provinces, 16 districts, 190 chiefdoms, and 446 wards. There are about 13 ethnic tribes in the country, but the lingua franca widely spoken is Krio. The official language of the country is English.

Sierra Leone’s past is marred by conflict. In 1991, an armed conflict erupted in the country that claimed thousands of lives, maimed, displaced, and left a trail of sexually abused women and children. This war lasted for over a decade, coming to an end in 2001. Two transitional justice mechanisms were put into place to ensure accountability for human rights abuses. These are the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. and the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The Truth Commission completed its mandate and published a report of its findings and recommendations. The Special Court for Sierra Leone has concluded its operations, and a Residual Court has been instituted. The Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone Agreement Ratification Act 2011 (No 1 of 2012) is short titled “An Act to ratify the agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone on the establishment of the Residual Court for Sierra Leone signed on August 11, 2010.”

2. Historical Note

Sierra Leone became independent on the 27th of April 1961 after years of British Colonial rule. In the early nineteenth century, Sierra Leone became the center of government for all British possessions on the West Coast of Africa. European contact with Sierra Leone was among the first in West Africa and Sierra Leone was one of the first West African British Colonies. Foreign settlement did not occur until 1787 when the British prepared a refuge within the British Empire for freed slaves. That year, the site where Freetown is now located received the freedmen from Great Britain. These returned Africans were from all areas of Africa.

In the early 19th century, Freetown served as the residence of the British Governor who also ruled the Gold Coast (now the Republic of Ghana) and the Gambia settlements. Sierra Leone also served as the educational center of British West Africa with the Fourah Bay College established in 1827. This institution rapidly became a magnet for English speaking Africans on the West Coast and was known as the Athens of Africa. For more than a century, it was the only European-style university in Western Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sierra Leone’s historical legal development can be divided into two phases. Earlier, there was the protectorate; but before the establishment of this, it was an area ruled by the natives themselves. Part of this territory was ceded for settlers and with time, the original area as distinct from the protectorate became known as the provinces and at other times as regions. Prior to the advent of colonialism, the chiefs governed with a set of rules. The Paramount Chief was the senior chief, followed by the Town Chief and the Section Chief. In 1963 a new Act, the Local Courts Act, was enacted. This Act guaranteed amongst other things that Local Courts will have the jurisdiction to administer the estates of deceased persons (Section 13(1)). It is further if Letters of Administration should be taken out to administer the property of deceased persons. The criteria for this are that one should be a native and must be subject to customary law.

With the arrival of settlers in the colony area, a new system brought over from Britain was introduced. The advent of the Magistrate’s Court, the High Court and the West African Court of Appeals led to the Privy Council. Foreign officers were sent to various provinces as District Officers. They were administrative officers rather than lawyers, but because they had studied law they could sit as Magistrates and hold court.

3. The Arms of Government

The current system of government in Sierra Leone, established under the 1991 Constitution, is modeled largely on the presidential system with the following branches of government:

• The Legislature
• The Executive
• The Judiciary

Each organ or arm of government is distinctly provided for without reference to the other. However, the Constitution provides for checks and functional overlaps in the mechanism of government. Within the confines of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, supreme legislative powers are vested in Parliament, which is the lawmaking body of the land. Supreme executive authority rests in the President and members of his cabinet, and judicial power with the judiciary of which the Chief Justice is head.

4. The Legislature

Section 105 of the 1991 Constitution provides that the Sierra Leone Parliament is the supreme lawmaking body vested with legislative power. Parliament consists of the President, the Speaker and members of Parliament. The Sierra Leone Parliament is unicameral.

Section 74(1) of the 1991 Constitution provides that Members of Parliament shall comprise the following:

• One Member of Parliament for each District who shall, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, be elected in such a manner as may be prescribed by or under any law from among the persons who, under any law, are for the time being Paramount Chiefs. The Chieftaincy Act 2009 provides for the qualification, election, powers, functions and removal of a person as a Paramount Chief or Chief and other matters connected with Chieftaincy.
• Such number of Members of Parliament as Parliament may prescribe and elected in such manner prescribed by law.

To be qualified as Member of Parliament, the person must

• Be a citizen of Sierra Leone
• Have attained the age of 21
• Be able to speak or read the English language with a degree of proficiency to enable him to actively take part in proceedings in Parliament.
• Be an elector registered in the Register of electors.

The Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2013 affects the criteria for serving as Speaker of Parliament. Section 79 (1) now reads: ‘The speaker of Parliament shall be elected by the Members of Parliament from among persons who are (a) Members of Parliament and who had served as such for not less than five years or (b) qualified to be Members of Parliament and who had served as such for not less than ten years and are not less than forty years.” The 1991 Constitution referred to the requirement that a candidate for Speaker of Parliament should satisfy the criteria of being qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Judicature, which meant the person must have had at least ten (10) years of experience as a lawyer. The Amendment now places importance on legislative experience. The District Block Representation System was adopted as the electoral system for the June 2023 general elections. This is not a new provision, but it is a new electoral system distinct from the member constituency system. The District Block Representation System means a voting system for electing representatives in electoral districts. Each district is assigned several seats based on the population data of the last census results in 2021. This change is contained in The Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act 2002, The Public Elections (District Block Proportional Representative System) Regulations 2022. The High Court (Divisional) Amendment Order 2022, Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2022 established a new division, The Elections Offences and Petitions Division. See the Sierra Leone Legal Information Institute for more information.

5. The Executive

Section 40 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone states that the supreme executive authority shall be vested in the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, who shall also be the Head of State and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is described as the Fountain of Honour and Justice and the symbol of national unity and sovereignty- Section 40(3).

Section 40(4) outlines the responsibility of the President for certain key issues:

• All constitutional matters concerning legislation
• Relations with foreign states
• The reception with foreign envoys and the appointment of principal representatives of Sierra Leone abroad
• The execution of treaties, agreements, or conventions in the name of Sierra Leone
• Exercising the Prerogative of Mercy
• The grant of honors and awards
• Declaration of war
• Such other matters as may be referred to the president by Parliament.
• However, this is in addition to the other functions conferred upon the President in the Constitution.

For qualification to be elected President, a person should possess the following characteristics:

• Should be a citizen of Sierra Leone
• Should be a member of a political party
• Should have attained the age of 40 years
• Should be otherwise qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament.

Section 54(1) creates the office of the Vice President who is the Principal Assistant to the President in the discharge of his executive functions. Section 56(1) of the Constitution provides for such other offices of Ministers and Deputy Ministers as may be established by the President with the proviso that no Member of Parliament shall be appointed as Minister or Deputy Minister.

Section 53(1) vests executive power in the President, which may be exercised by him directly or through Ministers, Deputy Ministers or Public Officers subordinate to him.

The executive function embraces the direction of the general policy of the government. This includes the initiation of legislation, the maintenance of law and order, and the promotion of social and economic welfare. To a large extent all administration of public services are administered not by government departments but by local authorities and independent statutory bodies.

The tenure of the Office of the President is dealt with in Section 46(1) of the 1991 Constitution. It is thereby provided that no person shall hold office as President for more than two 5-year terms, whether the terms are consecutive.

6. The Judiciary

Section 120(1) of the Constitution states that the judicial power of Sierra Leone shall be vested in the judiciary. The judiciary of Sierra Leone, headed by the Chief Justice, comprises the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court. These constitute the Superior Court of Jurisdiction. The inferior courts comprise the Magistrates courts and the Local courts. The Magistrates Courts exist in each district. Local courts administer customary law in provincial communities outside the Western Area.

The administration of justice is the focal and foremost function of the judiciary. According to Section 120(2), the judiciary has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters relating to the 1991 Constitution and such other matters conferring jurisdiction on it by Parliament or under an Act of Parliament. Section 120(3) stipulates that in the exercise of its functions, the judiciary shall be subject only to the 1991 Constitution or any other law and shall not be subject to the control or direction of any other person or authority.

6.1. The Supreme Court

At the apex of the hierarchy of courts in Sierra Leone is the Supreme Court. Section 121(1) provides that the Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice, not less than four Justices of the Supreme Court and such other Justices of the superior court of judicature or of the superior courts in any state operating a body of law like Sierra Leone. The Chief Justice may for the determination of any cause or matter request to sit in the Supreme Court for such period as the Chief Justice may specify or until the request is withdrawn. According to Section 121(3) the Chief Justice shall preside at the sittings of the Supreme Court and in his absence the most senior of the Justices of the Supreme Court as constituted for the time being shall preside. The quorum of the Supreme Court shall not be less than three justices. The Supreme Court is the final Court of appeal in Sierra Leone and as such, appellate and other jurisdiction may be conferred upon it by the Constitution or any other law.

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to the exclusion of all other courts in two instances:

• in matters relating to the enforcement or interpretation of any provision of the constitution and
• where any question arises whether an enactment was made in excess of the power conferred upon Parliament or any other authority or person by law under the Constitution.

6.2. The Court of Appeal

Section 128(1) provides that the Court of Appeal shall consist of the Chief Justice, not less than 7 Justices of the Court of Appeal and such other Justices of the superior court of judicature as the Chief Justice may for the determination of any particular cause or matter, request to sit in the Court of Appeal for such period as the Chief Justice may specify or until the request is withdrawn.

Section 128(2) provides that the Court of Appeal shall be duly constituted by any 3 Justices thereof. However, a single Justice of the Court of Appeal may exercise any power vested in the Court of Appeal not involving the decision on any cause or matter before the Court of Appeal save:

• in criminal matters, if any such Justice refuses or grants an application in exercise of any such power, any such person affected thereby shall be entitled to have the application determined by the Court of Appeal as duly constituted and
• in civil matters, any order, direction or decision made or given in pursuant of the power conferred by the provision may be varied, discharged or reversed by the Court of Appeal as duly constituted.

Section 129(1) grants the Court of Appeal jurisdiction to hear and determine appeals from any judgment, decree or order of the High Court of Justice or any Justice of the High Court and such other appellate jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by the Constitution or any other law.

The Court of Appeal is to be bound by its own previous decisions and Courts inferior to the Court of Appeal are bound to follow the decisions of the Court of Appeal on questions of law. Section 128(3).

6.3. The High Court

Section 131(1) provides that the High Court shall consist of the Chief Justice, not less than 9 High Court judges and such other judges of the superior court of judicature as the Chief Justice may for the determination of any particular cause or matter, request to sit in the High Court for such period as the Chief Justice may specify or until the request is withdrawn. The High Court shall be duly constituted by any one judge of the High Court sitting with a jury. Section 131(2).

The High Court of Justice has supervisory jurisdiction over all inferior traditional Courts in Sierra Leone and any adjudicating authority, and in the exercise of its supervisory jurisdiction shall have power to issue directions, writs, and orders, including the writs of habeas corpus, and other writs of certiorari, mandamus and prohibition as it may consider appropriate for the purposes of enforcing or securing the enforcement of its supervisory powers.

6.4. Appointment of Judges

According to Section 135 of the 1991 Constitution, the President of Sierra Leone shall, acting on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and subject to the approval of Parliament, appoint the Chief Justice from among persons qualified to hold office as Justice of the Supreme Court.

The other Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature are appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and subject to the approval of Parliament.

6.5. Qualification for Appointment as a Judge

Section 135(3) states that a person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Superior Court of Judicature unless he is entitled to practice as Counsel in a Court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in Sierra Leone or any other country with a system of law analogous to that of Sierra Leone or approved by the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and has been entitled as such Counsel in the case of appointment to:

• the Supreme Court, for not less than 20 years
• the Court of Appeal, for not less than 15 years
• the High Court of Justice, for not less than ten years.

Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature may retire as a Judge at any time after attaining the age of sixty- five years but shall vacate that office on attaining the age of sixty- five years. Section 137(2).

6.6. The Magistrate’s Court

The primary inferior court of judicature is the Magistrate’s Court. Pursuant to the Courts Act, Act No. 31 of 1965, Sierra Leone is constituted into Judicial Districts; Section 4 of the Act states that there shall be constituted Magistrate’s Court in and for every judicial district. Magistrate’s Courts have limited jurisdiction. Subject to their limitations, Section 8 of the Courts Act, 1965 provides that the Magistrate’s Court shall have the jurisdiction to do all lawful acts necessary to enquire into and dispose of or to hear and determine all civil and criminal matters arising within the district, area, or place for which it is established or transferred to it by the High Court. Such jurisdiction is to be exercised by the Magistrate duly appointed to such courts.

6.7. Justices of the Peace

These are provided for by Section 9 of the Courts Act of 1965. They sit in various magistrate courts as the Chief Justice decides.

6.8. Court Marshall

Courts Marshall are established pursuant to Section 84 of the Republic of Sierra Leone Military Act. These tribunals are empowered to try any person subject to military law, in addition to offences against the general law which are applicable to all persons who join the army. Section 85 of the Act provides that Courts Marshall shall be convened by the Force Commander or any General, Brigadier or Colonel, or Officer of corresponding rank.

A Court Marshall consists of the President and not less than two other Officers, but in the trial of an Officer or Warrant Officer, it should consist of at least five Officers. There is provision for a Judge Advocate to be appointed to advise the Court Marshall in matters of law and procedure and to advise the tribunal before it deliberates on its findings. Courts Marshall have jurisdiction to try and punish persons subject to military law for 2 classes of offences created by the Republic of Sierra Leone Military Act (Part V).

6.9. Judicial Divisions

• Supreme Court: The Highest Court. Five judges with provision for seven.
• Court of Appeal: Three Judges with provision for five.
• High Court: Has appellate jurisdiction and is a court of first instance for both civil and criminal matters. In its appellate jurisdiction are ordinary appeals and local appeals. A matter from the District Appeals Court goes to the Local Appeals Court with a Magistrate and 2 assessors whose responsibility is to advise him/her.
• Magistrate’s Court: Civil, Industrial, Family Division (Divorce), Admiralty (Shipping).
• Coroner’s Court: Consists of a magistrate sitting with a jury of seven. No power to sentence. Its jurisdiction is to conduct an inquiry, to investigate and consider whether an offence has been committed. The decision of the inquiry of the court could result in the matter being charged to the Magistrate Court or High Court and the evidence of witnesses are taken as depositions during the trial.
• District Appeals Court: Does not have original jurisdiction. (A summons cannot be initiated in this court). A Magistrate sits as the Chairman in the District Appeals Court. Two Customary Law Officers are assigned to the court to advice the Chairman. However, the Chairman is not bound by the advice proffered by these Customary Law Officers and may even dispense with these assessors if the matter before the Court does not pertain to Customary Law.
• Local Court: Has jurisdiction exclusively in matters that arise within their geographical area. Local courts cannot hear cases where the government or a company is a party. This is because neither is considered native. The Local Courts Act 2011 governs the constitution, administration and jurisdiction of local courts. It is an Act to “provide for the establishment and operation of Local courts, the administration of justice in the provinces and other related matters.”

There are cases where the matter goes straight from the High Court to the Supreme Court. This “Leap Frog Approach” occurs in situations where a matter touches or concerns the Constitution.

6.10. Judicial Review

This is the Court’s power to police the legality of government decisions, sometimes referred to as supervisory jurisdiction. In exercising the power of judicial review, the Courts are concerned about whether the actions of the government (executive) meet certain legal standards.

6.11. The Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice

The above roles are fused. As Attorney General, the designated person is the principal legal advisor to the government, and as the Minister of Justice is responsible for supervising the administration of Justice (looking after the judiciary). The responsibilities of this Office include ensuring that the rule of law is upheld.

7. Sources of Law in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone legal system encompasses a combination of the Constitution, common law, statutory law, and customary law. A two-tiered system of Common Law based on the British system and local customary law characterizes the legal system.

Being a former British Colony, Sierra Leone received laws from Britain. This is guaranteed under Section 74 of the Courts Act 1965 which states that, subject to the provision of the Constitution, the common law and statutes of general application in England before the 1st day of January 1880 shall automatically be part of the common law of Sierra Leone.

Article 170(1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No 6 states that the laws of Sierra Leone shall comprise the following:

• The Constitution;
• Laws made by or under the authority of Parliament as established by the Constitution;
• Any orders, rules, regulations and other statutory instruments made by any person or authority pursuant to a power conferred in that behalf by the Constitution or any other law;
• The existing law; and
• The common law.

7.1. The Constitution

Sierra Leone has had several Constitutions since colonial rule. The first Constitution was that of 1863 when constitutional government was first introduced in Sierra Leone. This was followed by the 1924 and 1951 Constitutions. The 1961 Constitution was the first Constitution for an independent Sierra Leone. The subsequent Constitutions- the 1971 and 1978 Constitutions, are referred to as the Republican and the One-Party Constitutions respectively. The current Constitution is Act No 6 of 1991. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and all other laws are derived from and must conform to it. The 1991 Constitution can be accessed online.

7.2. Legislation

In Sierra Leone, the ultimate legislator is Parliament. Section 73 of the 1991 Constitution establishes the Legislature. It is provided therein that the legislature of Sierra Leone shall be known as Parliament and shall consist of the President, the Speaker and Members of Parliament. The legislative process, which is a somewhat long procedure, is provided for in the 1991 Constitution.

Delegated Legislation: Some subordinate bodies are entrusted with certain powers by Parliament to make rules, regulations, orders, and by-laws.

Autonomic Legislation: There are some autonomous bodies and organizations that have powers to make their laws and guide their members and those affected by them. Examples include Trade Unions, Student Unions, Medical and Dental Associations, and the Sierra Leone Bar Association.

7.3. The Common Law

The Common Law of Sierra Leone comprise the rules of law generally known as the common law, the rules of law generally known as the doctrines of equity, and the rules of customary law including those determined by the Superior Court of Judicature.

In the Sierra Leone legal system, the common law was introduced to work alongside customary law and Statute law. Section 74 of the Courts Act, 1965 provides specifically that Common law enforced in England up to the January 1, 1880, shall always apply in Sierra Leone.

7.4. Customary Law

Customary law means the rules of law which by custom are applicable to communities in Sierra Leone. It derives from the community’s acceptance of it as a binding obligation on them. It is largely unwritten. Customary law is taken to include Islamic law.

Existing Law: The Constitution states in Section 170(4) that the existing law shall comprise the written and unwritten laws of Sierra Leone as they existed immediately before the date of the coming into force of the Constitution and any statutory instrument issued or made before that date which is to come into force on or after that date.

The Rules Generally Known as Equity: This refers to the English doctrines of equity as they have over time evolved in England and Sierra Leone. Equity generally is referred to as Natural Justice because it is synonymous with it. But in Sierra Leone as in England, equity goes beyond Natural Justice because it affects the interpretation of the law by the courts. Equity is necessary because of the need to give justice to individuals who may be in dispute.

Section 76(1) of the 1991 Constitution states that Customary Law shall not prevail if it conflicts with Natural Law, Equity and good conscience. This is simply because in interpreting any rule of custom, it is important to do justice to the parties in dispute.

Section 76(3) provides further that the court would be guided by those principles where no expressed position of the rule is applicable. The court should look at what justice, equity and good conscience would demand. Equity does not take precedence over a statute. The alternative is for the Statute to be amended or repealed if it is found to conflict with justice.

7.5. Statute Law

Statute Law in Sierra Leone is in two categories:

• Those adopted from England/ handed over
• Those enacted by the Sierra Leone Parliament

The Statutes handed over are those enacted by the British government, and because Sierra Leone was a colony, they were applied directly or adopted. Examples are the Wills Act of 1837, The Larceny Act of 1916 and the Offences Against the Persons Act 1816. The first group of Statutes was the Laws of Sierra Leone, 1949 which was repealed by the Laws of Sierra Leone, 1960. Since 1961, Statutes are now enacted locally by the Sierra Leone Parliament. The Interpretation Act No. 8 of 1971 governs the interpretation of statutes.

8. Legal Education and the Legal Profession

Within the Sierra Leone legal system, the legal profession is fused. There is no separation of the qualification of a Barrister and Solicitor. Currently, the Legal Practitioners Act of 2000 as amended governs the legal profession. The Council of Legal Education Act came into being in 1989. Before this time, practice in the legal profession was governed by the Legal Practitioner’s Act, Cap 11, of the Laws of Sierra Leone, 1960. At all times, the Attorney General, who is the principal legal adviser to the government, has been regarded as the titular Head of the Sierra Leone Bar.

Since the Sierra Leone Law School was established, there are two categories of qualified persons in the legal profession that are eligible to enroll. These are persons eligible to be called to the Bar of England and Ireland and those called to the Bar locally by the Sierra Leone Law School, which is under the Council of Legal Education.

The Legal Practitioners Act, Act No 15 of 2000 is titled an Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the admission, enrollment, practice, and discipline of legal practitioners and to provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing. The Legal Practitioners Act establishes the General Legal Council. Section 3(1) of the Act states the composition of the Council as consisting of the following members:

• the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, or his representative, being a legal practitioner of not less than 15 years standing;
• the Solicitor–General;
• six practicing legal practitioners of whom three shall be of not less than 15 years and the rest of not less than ten years standing, all of whom shall be elected by the Sierra Leone Bar Association and;
• one legal practitioner employed in the public service (but not the Judicial and legal Service) appointed by the Attorney General.

The Chairman of the Council is elected from one of the three legal practitioners of not less than fifteen years standing referred to above. Section 4 establishes that the Council shall be the governing authority regarding the conduct of the legal profession in Sierra Leone. The functions of the Council consist of the following:

• the admission and enrollment of persons to practice law, whether as barristers or solicitors or both;
• the admission to pupilage and the registration of pupils in the Temporary Register;
• the issuing of practicing certificates to legal practitioners, the prescription of standards of professional conduct and code of etiquette for legal practitioners;
• the discipline of legal practitioners and,
• the prescription of fees for non-contentious matters.

A person shall not engage in the practice of law in Sierra Leone unless he has been admitted and enrolled as a legal practitioner under the Legal Practitioners Act. By Section 10 of the Legal Practitioners Act as amended by the Legal Practitioners Amendment Act 2015, a person qualifies for admission as a legal practitioner if he is:

• the holder of a degree in law awarded by the University of Sierra Leone, the University of Makeni or any other University established in Sierra Leone and of such level as the Council of Legal Education may prescribe;
• the holder of any degree in law of a recognized university or other institution of higher learning of a Commonwealth country approved by the Council of Legal Education;
• the holder of any degree in law of a recognized university or other institution of higher learning of a country with a legal system analogous to that of Sierra Leone approved by the Council of Legal Education and;
• has passed the appropriate professional examinations conducted by the Council of Legal Education and served a period of pupilage of not less than twelve months with a legal practitioner of at least ten years standing in Sierra Leone.

If pupilage is to be served in the Government service, the period will be for eighteen months.

The Legal Practitioners (Code of Conduct) Rules 2010 has been passed. This can be accessed on the Sierra Leone Web website.

9. Treaties

Sierra Leone is a party to several international bilateral and multilateral treaties. The country practices a dualist system of laws. International Conventions ratified by the country must be domesticated by the passing of an implementing legislation in Parliament for them to have the force of law in Sierra Leone. A Bill must be drafted by the Law Officers Department in the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice and tabled in Parliament.

The proviso to Section (40)(4) of the 1991 Constitution which outlines the responsibilities of the President stipulates that where any treaty or agreement execution by the President relates to the legislative competence of Parliament or which in any way alters the laws of Sierra Leone such shall be subject to ratification by Parliament.

Notably, Sierra Leone has ratified international treaties, including those relating to the Law of Armed Conflict (the Geneva Conventions), Conventions relating to Employment and Forced Labour, Education, Rights of the Child, and Freedom of Association. The government of Sierra Leone in 2006 submitted a report in compliance with its obligations under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This was the first Report submitted since the signing and ratification of the CEDAW in 1988. In 2000, Sierra Leone acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention. The report was a combined one covering the initial, second through fifth reports. The Geneva Conventions Act 2012 has also been passed. This seeks to give effect to the Geneva Conventions done at Geneva on 12th August 1949 and to the Protocols additional to those conventions done at Geneva on 8th June 1977. This can be accessed at the Sierra Leone Web website. Sierra Leone has also signed quite several international treaties that are not ratified. This includes the Charter establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights. However, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (The Maputo Protocol) was ratified in 2015. For more information on this issue please see the Human Rights Library of the University of Minnesota.

10. Law Reporting

In Sierra Leone, law reporting started when a division of the Law Officers Department was charged with the responsibility of developing law reports. Sierra Leone law reports were introduced in 1961. Three volumes were published: 1961, 1962 and 1963. In West Africa, there were the West Africa Law Reports, which had been going on even before the advisory committee was formed, and these West African Law Reports were published from rulings emanating from the West African Court of Appeal. In the case of Sierra Leone, it also had its own series from its inception, 1920-1929. The work of such reports was carried out through research facilities made available by the Bodleian Law Library of Oxford and carried on until 1973.

Law reporting in Sierra Leone stalled until quite recently. A recent compilation of Sierra Leone Law Reports covering the period 1973-1980 has been done. The initiative was carried out by the Sierra Leone Bar Association and is available in hard copy.

11. Primary and Secondary Legal Sources

The Sierra Leone Official Gazette is printed by the Government Printing Department. Most of the Statutes in Sierra Leone can be found online. The most comprehensive list can be found on the website of the Sierra Leone Web – The Laws Project and the Laws and government of Sierra Leone. Other websites are the Sierra Leone government website and the official website of the President of Sierra Leone. Please also see SierraLII, which is a legacy project of the Special Court for Sierra Leone for information on judgments, legislations, and other resources.

The primary materials of Sierra Leonean law include the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991, the Criminal Procedure Act 1965, The Offences Against the Persons Act 1816, The Larceny Act 1916, the Anti- Corruption Act 2000 as amended, The Electoral Laws Act 2002, The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act 2004, etc. More can be found at the Sierra Leone web site mentioned above.

Some important Bills have been passed in Parliament. In 2007 three Bills relating to women’s rights became law. These are the Registration of Customary Law Marriage and Divorce Act, the Domestic Violence Act and the Devolution of Estates Act. Other Laws include the Child Rights Act 2007, the Prevention and Control of HIV and Aids Act 2007, etc. The Legal Aid Act 2012 established the Legal Aid Board to provide accessible, affordable, credible, and sustainable legal aid services to indigent persons and other related services.

Other important laws passed include The Right to Access to Information Act 2013, which is an act to provide for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to provide for other related matters. The criminal libel provisions contained in Part V of the Public Order Act 1965 have been expunged: the Parliament of Sierra Leone unanimously voted to repeal the provisions. To learn more about this please see The Public Order Act 1965 at the Sierra Leone Web website. The Sexual Offences Act 2012 as amended, The Persons with Disability Act 2011, The Companies Act 2009, The Public Elections Act 2010, The Anti Money Laundering and Combating of Financing of Terrorism Act 2012, The National Minerals Act 2012, and other Acts can be accessed via the Sierra Leone government website. The Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, 2022 was recently passed. This law seeks to address the gender imbalances by making provision for increased elective positions for women, to provide for the promotion of gender equality in employment and training, to provide for the implementation of gender mainstreaming and budgeting, to provide for financial institutions to prescribe procedures for the improvement of women’s access to finance, and to provide for other related matters. Another recent addition was the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021, Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Vol. CXLXIII, No. 22, 21 April 2022. In July 2021, the Sierra Leone Parliament voted in favor of a bill abolishing the death penalty. The law was officially promulgated in April 2022. Capital punishment is now replaced with life imprisonment or a minimum 30-year jail term.

The Customary Land Act and Land Commission Act, 2022 allows local communities to consent to companies before starting mining, industrial or farming activities and also addresses the problem of gender-based discrimination and has now established that women have equal rights to use and own family land on equal footing as their male relatives. The Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act, 2022 aims to regulate and control the production, manufacturing, importation, packaging and labeling, advertising, promotion and sponsorship, sale and use of tobacco and other nicotine products in Sierra Leone. It brings into force the full domestication of the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Basic and Senior Education Act, 2023 aims to create opportunities for all girls in Sierra Leone to receive education and eliminates discrimination against pregnancy and other odds. For an update on recent acts passed by the Sierra Leone Parliament, please consult The Sierra Leone Web and the SierraLII.

FAOLEX: Sierra Leone (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) provides a database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture and renewable natural resources. Information on labor, social security and related issues can be accessed at the International Labour Organization, NATLEX Sierra Leone.

• The General Legal Council has produced the General Legal Council (Sierra Leone) Law Journal, a multi-disciplinary peer-reviewed journal of articles by legal academics/scholars, legal practitioners and other professionals committed to the practice of the law in diverse aspects. It is available in hard copies. The Journal of Sierra Leone studies focuses on research and writings on Sierra Leone. The inaugural edition of the Fourah Bay College Law Review (available for purchase) has been published. The publication contains articles on customary law, international law, constitutional law and human rights. Contributors to the journal include legal practitioners, judges, academics, students and international legal scholars.
• New legal research platforms include the Law Hub, a virtual legal tool that delivers real time answers to legal queries.
• Christian Lawyers Center Legal Link is a non-profit legal advocacy group.

There are several publications and books written on Sierra Leone. Most concern its history, and social and political issues. A list of some of these publications can be found on The Sierra Leone Web – Legal – Bibliography.

12. The Legal Profession

The Sierra Leone Law School is situated in Freetown, and students with an LL.B. (hons) degree from the Fourah Bay College, the University of Makeni, or from England spend one year in a professional course. Thereafter, they can sit for bar exams and are granted a degree of Utter Barrister. Recently, a new course of study was introduced at the Sierra Leone Law School resulting in the award of a Post Graduate Diploma in Law. Graduates of this course become legal executives. The course duration is six months. The Sierra Leone Bar Association (archived at Wayback Machine) is the umbrella association for all lawyers called to the Sierra Leone Bar. There is also the Association of Female Lawyers – Legal Access through Women Yearning for Equality Rights and Social Justice (L.A.W.Y.E.R.S) with a mandate to provide legal support for women and girls. L.A.W.Y.E.R.S uses the law to protect and promote the rights of women and girls in Sierra Leone. This is done by providing legal advice and court representation for free to women and girls on a range of matters including sexual and domestic violence, matrimonial disputes, and maintenance.