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The United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer has commended the Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards over the ruling in favour of the Proportional Representation (PR) System in the forthcoming June 2023 elections on the 27th of January 2023.
The occasion was graced by the US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission-Stephanie A. Bunce, US Embassy Political Counsellor-Paul Stucky, High Court Master and Registrar, Supreme Court Acting Registrar, Court Operations Manager and Spokesperson for the Judiciary.
David Reimer, United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, made this clear while welcoming the Chief Justice and his team commended the Judiciary for being so expeditious in concluding the Proportional Representation Case filed by Hon. Abdul Kargbo and Councillor Hakiratu Maxwell-Caulker against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice as first Defendant and the Electoral Commission-second Defendant.
“The US paid attention, the US State Department followed the process, and we are impressed with the speed in which the decision was made.”
In his statement, he said the US is more interested in a peaceful, free, and fair election than the electoral system, and to ensure a level playing ground for all.
The Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards assured that the Judiciary would continue to ensure that all cases filed at the Supreme Court will have a live broadcast by the media and be completed with speed respectively.
Chief Justice Edwards said “I assure you that we would stick to that,”, adding that, “for all Parliamentary cases or electoral offences we have an effective Communications and Public Affairs Unit that will provide timely reports as a way of dispelling rumours or misinformation.”
On the diverse role of the judiciary, he said they will pay undivided attention to other cases before the Courts as it doesn’t mean other cases will not continue during the electioneering process and admitted that the challenges are huge but wouldn’t serve as roadblocks to “doing what is right.”
Outlining the challenges one of the keys is the limited financial support to the Judiciary, especially during the electioneering process.
