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The Court of Appeal of Sierra Leone has concluded its first-ever provincial sitting in Makeni City, delivering seven judgments and handling urgent applications as part of efforts to bring appellate justice closer to citizens across the country.
The week-long session, which marked a historic move by the appellate court to sit outside Freetown, was presided over by Supreme Court Justice Abdulai M. Bangurah, alongside Court of Appeal Justices Jamesina J. King, Michael P. Mami and Aiah Simeon Allieu.
During the sitting, the panel considered several appeals and legal applications, delivering rulings on matters including divorce and land ownership disputes. The Court also granted an urgent application for a stay after hearing submissions from legal representatives.
The Makeni proceedings are part of Chief Justice Komba Kamanda’s judicial reform agenda aimed at decentralising court services and improving access to justice for people in different regions of Sierra Leone.
A litigant who attended the sitting and requested anonymity welcomed the move, describing the presence of the Court of Appeal in Makeni as a significant step towards making justice more accessible. The individual commended the Judiciary’s leadership for reducing the burden on citizens who previously had to travel to Freetown to pursue appeals.
The Judiciary said provincial sittings such as the Makeni session are intended to reduce financial and logistical barriers faced by litigants while strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
The exercise was funded by the Judiciary of Sierra Leone with support from the Government, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve the administration of justice and expand access to appellate services nationwide.
