One of the most respected institutions in Sierra Leone which produces the country’s lawyers has recently come under the radar of the Sierra Leone media over the past weeks.

Initial media reports claimed that the Director of the Sierra Leone Law School, Dr. Abu Bakarr Bangura was hospitalized as result of alleged undue harassment, intimidation and bullying, meted on him by the Acting Chief Justice, Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke.

But a public statement that was issued following the said publication utterly refuted the claims, stating that: “The Acting Chief Justice wishes it to be known that the headline and its contents are untrue and unfounded. There has been no bullying, intimidation or harassment of the Director.

A case of sexual harassment

Earlier this year, according to the rebuttal statement, an allegation of sexual harassment was made against the Director by a female student, adding that at the direction of the Council of Legal Education, the Director was asked to set up a committee to investigate the complaint.

“Its members were appointed by him. The Committee is yet to submit its report. The alleged victim of the harassment, at the instigation of the Director, was summoned to the CID for interrogation. Council was not consulted at any stage,” the statement reads.

It was noted that “Council met on Wednesday 28th August, 2024 to inquire into why the report was made by the Director without the knowledge of Council. The Director insisted that he had a right to protect his reputation. This was nearly 7 months after the complaint was first made by the student.

Meanwhile, a staff at the Sierra Leone Law School who preferred anonymity told Concord Times that “I am cognizant of the fact that the Director reported the alleged sexual harassment against him to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). I don’t know why the Director decided to report the said matter. May be, he would have been informed about the content of the report.

Claims of intimidation

While there have been claims of intimidation as published in the local media, Concord Times established that, many within the judiciary are of the view that, the Acting Chief Justice is on record as a respecter of the rule of law and administrative justice.

“He has transformed the Judiciary from an authoritarian workplace to a place where respect for all levels of workers is upheld,” they said.

Legal luminaries, including veterans in the legal profession expressed concern about what many described as deliberate attempt to damage the hard earned reputation of the Acting Chief Justice, and to frustrate his unprecedented ongoing judicial reforms in the Judiciary.

“I totally don’t believe this, not the Hon. Justice Browne-Marke that I truly know. He is an astute and disciplined professional that believes in ones unfettered discretion,” a senior female staff at the Law School told Concord Times.

Examinations Results

Students who wrote the Ear Final examinations are in suspense awaiting their results, but the current situation at the Sierra Leone Law School has delayed the process.

According to procedures, there should be a meeting of the Board of Tutors, who should confirm the results before they are published, but such has not been done as a result of the current situation on ground.

During a meeting with the Council on August 28, the Director was asked as to when the Board of Tutors would meet to confirm the results.

“After much argument, the Director was directed by Council to summon the Board of Tutors meeting for Monday 2nd September, 2024. ‘The Council of Legal Education would then meet on Wednesday 4th September, 2024 to confirm the results. The meeting of the Board of Tutors was not summoned by the Director. He became incommunicado,” the statement reads.

On Wednesday 4th September, according to the statement, one Mrs. Mario-Gray, an official of the School informed Council that the Director was indisposed.

“Due to the Director’s indisposition, Council requested the Registrar to proceed to summon the meeting of the Board of Tutors. The Registrar requested the results from the Exams Officer. The Exams Officers responded that he had submitted the results to the Director, and that he did not have copies with him. The results are still with the Director.”

Some staff at Law School testified that Chief Justice Browne-Marke has never interfered into the day-to-day running of the school beyond what is required of him.