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Disciplinary proceedings against suspended Supreme Court Judge, Justice Allan Baami Halloway, have reached a procedural impasse after his legal team formally challenged the makeup of the tribunal appointed to investigate his conduct.
During a sitting in Freetown, Tribunal Chairman and Supreme Court Justice Abdulai Bangurah disclosed that the defense, led by Sulaiman Bejan Tejan-sie, filed an application on Friday contesting the composition of the three-member panel. The tribunal, which includes legal practitioners Robin Mason and Francis Gabbidon, must now address these objections before the substantive investigation can proceed.
Director of Public Prosecutions Osman Kanu requested additional time to evaluate the defense’s challenge and prepare a formal response. The tribunal granted the request, adjourning the matter until Thursday, February 19, 2026.
The hearing was attended by the defendant, who was accompanied by a relative and junior counsel, alongside members of the media and the public.
The tribunal was established by President Julius Maada Bio on September 15, 2025, under Section 137 of the 1991 Constitution. This followed a recommendation from the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) to investigate allegations concerning Justice Halloway’s conduct, resulting in his immediate suspension and interdiction.
The investigation follows a period of internal friction within the judiciary. In August 2025, Justice Halloway authored a strongly worded letter accusing Chief Justice Komba Kamanda of constitutional breaches, including the unlawful withholding of allowances and interference in judicial independence.
The process has faced internal criticism from within the bench. Justice Reginald Sydney Fynn of the Court of Appeal previously wrote to the President expressing dissent over the referral. Justice Fynn alleged that the JLSC decision lacked due process, relied on outdated documents from 2010–2013, and was chaired by the Chief Justice, whom he described as acting as both “complainant and chairman.”
Despite these concerns, the tribunal members were sworn in on January 8, 2026, with President Bio emphasizing the need for impartiality and the rule of law.
