#Supreme Court Dismisses Claims That President Bio’s Directive To Electoral Commission Was Unconstitutional
#Court No. 1, Main Law Courts Building, Freetown, 27th January, 2023:
Sierra Leone’s Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards in agreement with four other Justices has affirmed that the directive of the President, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to hold the 2023 national elections for ordinary Members of Parliament by the Proportional Representation system instead of Constituencies was constitutional or lawful.
The matter was filed by J.F.K and Partners on behalf of the first Plaintiff, Hon. Abdul Kargbo and the second Plaintiff, Councilor Hakiratu Maxwell-Caulker against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice as first Defendant and the ECSL as the second Defendant on the usage of the District Block Representation system or the PR System.
In their declarations, the Supreme Court Justices; Hon. Justice D.B. Edwards (presiding), Hon. Justice N.C Brown-Marke, Justice M. Deen Tarawally, Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay and Hon. Justice A.I Sesay dismissed all the claims made by the Plaintiffs.
“An order restraining the 2nd Defendant, Electoral Commission, its agents, servants, privies or however called from taking steps aimed at conducting the June 2023 multitier public elections on the District Block Proportional Representation system is refused,” Chief Justice Edwards said in agreement with his colleague Justices.
Click on the link:
https://www.judiciary.gov.sl/…/ELECTRORAL-COMMISSION-OF… to read the full Judgment.
For more information, contact the Judiciary Communications on +23234617548/79101086 or follow us on all our social media platforms.
