Lawyer Basita Michael, one of Sierra Leone’s most famous and outspoken legal practitioners, who also once served as the President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, dealt a blow to the government and judiciary last Friday when she announced that she has resigned from the Sierra Leone Judicial and Legal Commission .
In her letter of resignation published below, Lawyer Michael questioned the independence of the Commission after attending two meetings of the commission with regards to the setting up of a tribunal to investigate Auditor General, Mrs. Lara Taylor Pearce , who, along with her deputy, was unconstitutionally suspended indefinitely by President Maada Bio two weeks ago.
Mrs Michael was among many noted personalities, who included politicians, civil society activists and professional organizations that declared the suspension unlawful and unconstitutional.
Mrs . Michael contends with the fact that in the absence of the presentation of any allegation of misconduct , the Commission should not have agreed to the setting up of the tribunal to probe the auditors. Additionally, she is dissatisfied with the process of the selection of members of the tribunal.
This resignation is a massive blow to the Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) Government of President Bio, under whose tenure the judiciary has been accused of losing its independence and credibility, and the Sierra Leone Judiciary. . Few weeks ago, the European Union ( EU ) Elections Observer Team, in its report , impugned the credibility of the Sierra Leone Judiciary , along with the Elections Commission and Parliament.
Many Sierra Leoneans, reacting to this latest development on social media, described it as a shame to the nation that the Sierra Leone Judiary has lost so much respect and credibility since President Bio took power in 2018.
Mr. Aruna Conteh, responding on Lawyer Michael’s page, stated that “This corrupt Bio junta regime, with the complicity of our judiciary, is disingenuously trying to circumvent our constitution by employing imperious and sanctimonious platitudes to defend such flagrant constitutional breaches. Enough is Enough. “
