The President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association Robert Baoma .B Kowa Esq. has on the 6th August, 2019 presented members of the governing body of his Association to the Hon. Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone Hon. Desmond Babatunde Edwards at the Chambers of the Hon. Chief Justice, Law Court Building, Siaka Steven Street, Freetown.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit to the Hon. Chief Justice, President Kowa said, they were elected on the 6th July, 2019 because members of the Association were yearning for a formidable and consultative Bar that will strategically position itself to address not only issues affecting its membership but also those of national concerns. He said his executive is highly committed in upholding the rule of law and to build affirmative relationship with the Sierra Leone Judiciary. He held that his executive is determined to work closely and effectively with the Hon. Chief Justice whom they believed has transformed the Judiciary to an enviable institution in the country.
He said his executive has discovered that there are members representing the Bar Association in commissions and other institutions who fail to report to the Sierra Leone Bar whom they represent and that this trend will be discontinued during his leadership. “If those who are representing the Association at various institutions and commissions will be accountable, it will help the executive to make informed decisions more especially on issues of governance of which the Bar is core”.
In his statement, the Hon. Chief Justice welcomed and congratulated the executive on their appointments to various posts in the executive. He said the intention of the President to work closely with the Judiciary is welcoming and that his leadership is committed to provide the needed supports as and when necessary.
Being from the profession it was necessary that the Judiciary and the BAR work closely together and not be seen to be at divergence which gives a bad image to the public. He affirmed that the plans of the new president to get all representatives of the Sierra Leone Bar Association to report to its parent body was quite commendable. He however observed that it was strange that the Executive did not know the members of the Rules of Court Committee that were representing the Bar, noting that Mr. Centus Macauley and Mr. Brima Koroma were; and that currently the Rules of Court Committee was reforming the Commercial Court Rules.
The Hon. Chief Justice said, as a way of collaborating with the Judiciary, the Bar Association will be expected to take part in the usual thanksgiving services which this year has been scheduled for Friday 20th and Sunday 22nd September, 2019.
New Bar Association Executive Assures Chief Justice
