Former Vice President of Sierra Dr. Abdulai Osman Conteh has reportedly passed away.
His demise occurred in Freetown, Sierra Leone on 2nd August 2024, following a brief period of illness (5 August 1945-2 August 2024).
As a prominent Sierra Leonean lawyer and politician, Dr. Conteh held the position of vice president of Sierra Leone under President Joseph Saidu Momoh until he was deposed by the military junta in 1992.
Subsequently, Dr. Conteh relocated to Belize, where he served as the country’s chief justice before eventually returning to Sierra Leone.
Dr. Conteh’s early life was shaped by his upbringing in the village of Rogbere, Gbinleh Dixon Chiefdom in Kambia District, British Sierra Leone. Born on 5 August 1945, he hails from the Susu ethnic group, which is primarily located in the northeastern part of Sierra Leone. Growing up, he spent much of his formative years in Freetown.
Dr. Conteh pursued his education at Albert Academy and later at Fourah Bay College before furthering his studies in the UK. His impressive educational qualifications include a Ph.D. in International Law from King’s College, Cambridge in 1974, as well as LLB and LLM degrees from King’s College and London University, United Kingdom, respectively.
Additionally, he was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1970 and received the Harold Porter Prize in Land Law in 1968. Returning to Sierra Leone in the early 1970s, Dr. Conteh began his career at the SL Law Officers Department before transitioning into private practice and sharing his expertise by teaching law at Fourah Bay College for several years.
Dr. Conteh has had an illustrious political career in Sierra Leone, demonstrating his strong commitment to public service. He was a member of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party and held several significant offices.
In his public service, he served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1984, the Minister of Finance from 1984 to 1985, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 1987 to 1991, and the First Vice-president and Minister of Rural Development from 1991 to 1992. Additionally, he represented his paternal home district as a member of Parliament from 1977 to 1992.
In late 2007, Conteh was nominated as a candidate for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, demonstrating his stature and recognition on the international stage. Although he was not successful in securing this role, his contributions to political life in Sierra Leone and his nomination for such a significant position underscore his lasting impact and influence.
From 2000 to 2010, Dr. Abdulai Conteh held the esteemed position of Chief Justice of the Belize Supreme Court.
During his tenure, he issued two groundbreaking decisions reaffirming the common law doctrine of aboriginal title and recognizing the existence of Maya customary land tenure in the Toledo District of Belize. These rulings had significant implications for the Maya communities, as they voided government leases, concessions, grants, and contracts that were adverse to Maya land tenure, covering over 500,000 acres of ancestral homeland. Despite government appeals, the Caribbean Court of Justice ultimately upheld Conteh’s original holdings and awarded damages to the Mayans for the violation of their constitutional property rights.
In August 2010, Conteh retired at the age of 65 after his contract was not renewed by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, sparking national debate and condemnation from the Belize Bar Association.
His retirement became a political issue, as he was known for his fair-mindedness and fearless approach, with several of his landmark rulings deemed as “anti-government” and “anti-establishment.”
Outside of his role in Belize, Dr. Conteh also served as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands from 2008 to 2010 and later joined the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas until November 2015.
On a personal note, Dr. Conteh is married to Radia Labi Conteh, and the couple has six children.
Funeral Arrangements Will Be Announced Later.
