The ECOWAS court has on Monday 27th November, 2017 passed judgement in the landmark case brought by Sierra Leone’s former Vice President against his controversial
sacking in 2015.
ECOWAS Court JUDGEMENT on Sam Sumana’s case
The court rules that Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana’s removal was illegal and it ordered the government of Sierra Leone to pay him damages “in line with his suit”.
Sam-Samuna dragged the Sierra Leonean government to the ECOWAS Court for what his lawyers Femi Falana and Dr. Raymond Atuguba said was his unconstitutional removal.–
According to reports “the constitution only allows the Vice President to be removed through a Sierra Leone parliamentary impeachment.”
ECOWAS Court JUDGEMENT on Sam Sumana’s case on Monday 27th November, 2017
Delivering its verdict this Monday, the ECOWAS Court held that the removal of H.E. Sam Sumana from office was wrongful because “it violated his right to appeal the decision.”
The Court also said the nature of his removal “violated his right to Natural Justice and to a fair hearing. It further held that his right to participate in politics has been violated.”–
The court has therefore ordered Sierra Leonean government to “pay H. E. Sam Sumana all his salaries, emoluments, perquisites among others from the date of his removal
to date.”
Sierra Leone government officials had been earlier reported saying the ECOWAS court had no jurisdiction over the issue.–
But the ECOWAS Court dismissed that objection raised by Sierra Leone government challenging its jurisdiction on the case.–
Lawyers for Sam-Sumana, Femi Falana and Dr. Raymond Atuguba, argued that “the Protocol establishing the ECOWAS Court as amended (Articles 9(4) and 10(d)) is clear
on the matter and Sierra Leone is a signatory to that and related Protocols.”
ECOWAS Court JUDGEMENT on Sam Sumana’s case on Monday 27th November, 2017
The former VP has been living in Ghana since his removal was personally in Abuja to hear the ECOWAS court’s ruling. He was quoted this Monday morning, after the verdict, by saying he is “dedicating the court’s ruling to the people of Sierra Leone, Africa and the world at large.”
