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Magistrate Solomon Christian Kekurah of the York Village Court has ruled that legal practitioners must be registered in the temporary register and hold a valid temporary certificate to practice in the courts of Sierra Leone.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, February 13, 2026, the Magistrate upheld an objection filed by Lawyer Mustapha A. Khalil against the lead prosecutor, Lawyer Abu Bakarr I. Kamara. The court declared that Kamara does not have the “right of audience” because he had not fulfilled the certification requirements set by the General Legal Council.
The dispute arose during a previous hearing on January 30, when Lawyer Khalil challenged the eligibility of Lawyer Kamara and colleague Chernor Mohamed Juldeh Bah to represent clients. Khalil argued that under Section 20 (5) (a) of the Legal Practitioners Act 2000, only holders of a temporary certificate have the right of audience in Magistrate or District Appeal Courts.
Lawyer Kamara had countered this by citing a 2020 Supreme Court decision (Ibrahim Sorie vs. the General Legal Council), arguing that legal service commences from the “Call to the Bar,” thereby negating the need for a temporary certificate in lower courts.
Magistrate Kekurah dismissed Kamara’s argument, describing it as “a complete misstatement” of the Supreme Court case and an attempt to “mislead and misdirect the court.”
“The selected passages cited by Mr. Kamara has no indication of the Supreme Court’s view that one who intends to ply their trade in the Magistrates’ Court… do not need to sign the temporary register,” Magistrate Kekurah stated.
Clarifying the legal distinction, the Magistrate noted that while the Supreme Court judgment determined that “standing” is computed from the date of the Call to the Bar, the right to “practice” is determined by registration.
“I am also of the respectful opinion that there is a distinction between the two connotations,” Kekurah said. Consequently, while Kamara may be addressed as “Counsel,” he is not entitled to address the court without the requisite certification.
The Magistrate applied the “mischief rule” of statutory interpretation to reach his verdict. He explained that the Legal Practitioners Act 2000 was enacted to remedy issues in the 1946 Act, transferring the authority of admission and regulation from the sole discretion of the Chief Justice to the General Legal Council.
“I hold the view that the said Act is the principal governing regime… on lawyers’ right of audience in all courts in Sierra Leone,” Kekurah ruled. “A ‘Counsel’ or legal practitioner’s right of audience is determined by the General Legal Council.”
Following the ruling, Lawyer Kamara was barred from continuing as the lead prosecutor in the substantive case—a civil trespass matter between complainant Ms. Hannah Dakowa and defendants Mohamed Limba and Abu Tarawally.
Magistrate Kekurah directed the substantive senior lawyer, M.M. Tejan, to take over the proceedings and conduct the cross-examination of the defense witness.
