Supreme Court Restricts Lawyers With Less Than 10 Years’ Standing From Constitutional Amendment Case
Deborah Sorie The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone has reportedly restricted access to lawyers with less than 10 years of standing as proceedings continue in the landmark constitutional challenge over the passage of the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The restriction was in place on Tuesday, October 13, as the Court resumed proceedings in the consolidated constitutional references involving the disputed amendment process.
According to reports from the court premises, the minimum standing requirement has been reduced from the earlier threshold of 15 years to 10 years, although lawyers who do not meet the revised requirement remain unable to enter the courtroom.
The restriction has generated dissatisfaction among some legal practitioners gathered outside the Law Courts Building, many of whom want to observe the proceedings.
The reported decision was attributed to limited courtroom space, with the venue unable to accommodate the large number of lawyers and other attendees seeking access to the hearing.
The case has attracted considerable public interest because of its implications for the interpretation of Sections 91 and 108 of the 1991 Constitution, particularly the procedures and voting requirements for amending constitutional provisions.
The Supreme Court is hearing three consolidated cases arising from the passage of the 2025 Constitutional Amendment Bill by Parliament.
The cases include challenges concerning the parliamentary procedure used to pass the legislation and whether the constitutional requirements for a valid amendment were satisfied.
Proceedings are being heard by a five-member panel presided over by Chief Justice Komba Kamanda.
The hearing has also drawn attention following last week’s confrontation between the Chief Justice and opposition All People’s Congress (APC) lead counsel Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, popularly known as JFK, which resulted in Kamara being detained for contempt of court.