The electoral justice system is a key instrument of the rule of law and the ultimate guarantee of compliance with the democratic principles of holding free, fair and genuine elections. Electoral dispute resolution systems are a core element of the integrity and legitimacy of any election. Processes to address electoral complaints are therefore fundamental especially in Sierra Leone as the country approaches another multi-party democratic general election.
To facilitate capacity building, the AGA-Africa Programme collaborated with the Judiciary of Sierra Leone on a highly engaging ‘Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone’ workshop held on 17th-19th April, 2023 in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The workshop participants comprised 8 Supreme Court Judges, 11 Court of Appeal Judges and 4 Senior Management Staff of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone as well as national, regional and international subject matter experts from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Kenya.
The workshop provided a platform for the participants to share global best practices and expertise required in delivering effective, efficient and expeditious electoral justice in Sierra Leone.
The opening ceremony commenced with remarks from Hon. Justice Emmanuel Roberts, Director, Judicial Legal Training Institute of Sierra Leone and His Lordship Hon. Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Chief Justice of Ghana
His Lordship Hon. Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone delivered the keynote address.
Markus Green, Board Member, AGA-Africa Programme and Maame Hagan, AGA-Africa Programme Country Coordinator for Ghana also spoke at the opening. The highly engaging sessions were facilitated by His Lordship Hon. Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Chief Justice of Ghana, Hon. Justice Glenna Thompson, Judge, Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Victor Dotse, Judge, Supreme Court of Ghana, Hon. Isaac Lenaola, Judge, Supreme Court of Kenya, Hon. Justice Nicholas Browne-Marke, Judge, Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Vivian Solomon, Judge, Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Monfred Sesay, Judge, Supreme Court of Appeal of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Emmanuel Roberts, Director, Judicial Legal Training Institute of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Reginald Fynn, Judge, Court of Appeal of Sierra Leone and Fortoma Fah-Bundeh, Director, Legal Affairs, Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone.
At the closing, His Lordship Hon. Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone and Maame Hagan thanked the participants for their attendance and participation.
Workshop Outcomes
Through this workshop the participants:
- Gained a comprehensive understanding on the role of the judiciary in upholding or overturning presidential and parliamentary election results.
- Enhanced their knowledge of the legal framework of presidential elections, common election offences and emerging best practices of electoral dispute adjudication.
- Gained insights on the emerging jurisprudence from other Supreme Court Judges and efficient judgement writing methodologies in the determination of election petitions within the timelines given by the constitution.
