Magistrate Solomon Christian Kekurah of the York Court in the Freetown Peninsula has reserved ruling on the validity of the credentials of two lawyers, Abu Bakarr I. Kamara and Chernor Mohamed Juldeh Bah regarding their suitability to represent clients in his court.

The lawyers were challenged by their colleague Mustapha A. Khalil who argued before Magistrate Kekurah on Friday January 30, 2026 that the two lawyers do not have the right to represent a client because, according to him, they are yet to have the temporary certificate to practice.

He cited Section 20 subsection (5) (A) of the Legal Practitioners Act 2000. The section indicates that the holder of a certificate of temporary registration “Shall have a right of audience in any magistrates’ court or District Appeal court in Sierra Leone in all criminal and civil matters.” Lawyer Khalil submitted further that the men can only be referred to as lawyers and not counsels.

In his reply, Abubakar Kamara cited a judgement delivered by Justice Allan B. Halloway between Ibrahim Sorie and the General Legal Council. He said in that judgement, the court indicated that legal service begins from the date an individual is called to the Bar. He said as long as a lawyer has been called to the Bar, he could represent any client and practice in any magistrates’ court without the temporary certificate.

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After listening to both submissions, Magistrate Kekurah reserved ruling on the matter and withdrew the substantive file for which the lawyers were in court.

The case is a civil matter between Hannah Dakowa and Mohamed Limba Abu Tarawallie with the later being charged with two counts of trespass.The property in question is located at Mile 13 along the Freetown Peninsula.