I was deeply saddened when I received the news. I first met Justice Mary M. Sey upon her arrival in Sierra Leone to take up her appointment. She came to the JSDP office for her briefing, and we then accompanied her to meet the then Chief Justice. My immediate impression was of a woman exuding style and grace—approachable, yet unpretentious.
Later, when I had the opportunity to prosecute Anti-Corruption cases in her court, I discovered that beyond my initial impressions, she was also courteous, fair, open-minded yet firm, punctual, and always courageous in doing what was right. I admired the command she held over her court, and there were moments when I would catch her wry smile behind her papers as she delivered a ruling that put one of us Counsel in our place. As I reflect on the trials before her, one particular instance stands out. An accused, having made several unsuccessful attempts to secure an adjournment, suddenly ‘fell’ from his chair during the proceedings. He landed upright, sitting on the floor. Justice Sey, without losing composure, glanced up from her papers, calmly asked a relative to help him back into his chair, and continued the trial without disruption. It took all our self-control not to laugh.
Justice Sey was not one to be intimidated by authority either. I recall a time when she refused to allow the Attorney General, who had personally come to court, to enter a nolle prosequi in an Anti-Corruption matter in Chambers. She insisted that it be done in open court. She never entertained unmeritorious objections, and the control she maintained over her court made it a pleasure to practice before her.
Without a doubt, she carried the dignity of her office with grace and strength. My thoughts and prayers are with her husband, children, and the rest of her family during this difficult time. May her soul rest in peace.”
Justice Glenna Thompson
Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone
On the draft constitution
What the Justice ministry displays is gross incompetence; as well as poor guidance and advise to the Office of the President, by gazetting the Cabinet draft 2024 before facilitating an inclusive and consultative process with stakeholders nationwide. I have argued before elsewhere that the resources – human, time and public funds – used in organizing the so-called National Political Dialogue by the Office of the President should have been used to hold a National Consultation on the Cabinet draft 2024. That this was not thought of and did not happen is evidence of muddled thinking at the highest levels of the Barrow Administration. In any case, it is now evident that the “Political Dialogue” exercise was a waste of public resources – after Barrow’s recent public spat with Ousainu Darboe. And for all these reasons, the National Assembly when it reconvenes from its summer recess at the end of August must invite the Justice Minister and grill him for gross incompetence. In serious states, he would be asked to resign or be sacked by the President for putting the government in this untenable position. Such a situation includes exposing the Cabinet and Justice Ministry drafters to the possible grave accusation of plagiarizing the CRC draft 2020. As for aiding and abetting the Justice ministry to bypass stakeholders through its press releases; yes, that charge could be levelled against the Information ministry, among others.
Alieu Famara Sagnia
Veteran journalist
