Former APC Ministers Appeal to Supreme Court for JFK’s Release
Sahid Bangura The All People’s Congress (APC) Former Ministers Association has called on the Supreme Court to consider releasing former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, following his detention for contempt of court proceedings on October 8, 2026.
In a press statement issued on Friday, October 9, 2026, the association expressed dissatisfaction with Kamara’s detention at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre, which followed contempt proceedings presided over by Chief Justice Komba Kamanda.
According to the association, Kamara reportedly apologised publicly and retracted the statements that led to the contempt proceedings. It urged the Supreme Court to give favourable consideration, within the applicable legal framework, to his release and any appropriate application for a review or discharge of the contempt sanction.
The association said the circumstances surrounding the case warranted careful consideration, particularly in light of the wider constitutional issues currently before the Supreme Court and the public interest they have generated.
It pointed to ongoing constitutional proceedings concerning Sections 91 and 108 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and the disputed Constitutional Amendment Act, 2025, saying the matters raised fundamental questions about constitutional interpretation, democratic governance and the rule of law.
The association also noted that the live broadcast of the court proceedings had provided an opportunity for public education and greater transparency. It argued that reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that the substantive constitutional questions remain the central focus of the proceedings.
The former ministers therefore appealed to Chief Justice Kamanda and the other Supreme Court justices to consider Kamara’s release and any appropriate legal application relating to the contempt sanction, particularly in view of his reported apology and retraction.
The statement did not indicate that the court had agreed to review the detention or release Kamara. The association’s appeal remains a request for consideration within the applicable legal framework.
