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More than 400 new lawyers were formally admitted to the practice of law in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, December 17, marking a significant expansion of the country’s legal profession.
The Call to the Bar ceremony, held at the Freetown International Conference Centre, was presided over by the Chief Justice, His Lordship Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda, in his capacity as Chairman of the Council of Legal Education. The event celebrated the certification of hundreds of graduands who have successfully completed their professional legal training.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the admission of nineteen serving officers from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). Among the high-profile inductees was Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Kamara, the current Head of Media, Public Relations, and Sports.
The police leadership hailed the achievement as a historic milestone, reflecting a strategic shift towards a more “knowledge-driven police service.” In a statement, the SLP Media Team emphasized that increasing the number of legally trained officers enhances the institution’s capacity to uphold the rule of law and deliver rights-based policing.
Joan Bull Kamara, Head of the SLP’s Legal and Justice Support Department, noted the rapid professional growth within the force. She revealed that the number of police lawyers has risen sharply from just five in 2018 to approximately 40 today.
“You have not only earned the right to practice law, but you have also strengthened the bridge between law enforcement and justice delivery in our country,” she stated in a message to her colleagues.
Prominent legal scholar and human rights lawyer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, who taught many of the graduates at Fourah Bay College, welcomed the large cohort. Addressing potential concerns about the high number of new entrants, Abdulai argued that the graduates would strengthen the legal system.
“They carry immense potential,” Abdulai remarked. “They will strengthen our legal system, expand access to justice, and help lift families out of the poverty trap.”
The induction represents one of the largest single cohorts of lawyers in Sierra Leone’s history, signaling a robust future for the judiciary and legal sector.
