FREETOWN, 9th October 2026 – The Lawyers’ Society has called for the unconditional release of Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara Esq. (JFK) and asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to cite him for contempt.
In a press release dated 9th October 2026, the Society said it was deeply concerned about the detention of Mr. Kamara, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, following contempt proceedings at the Supreme Court.
While affirming its “profound respect for the Bench and the authority of the courts,” the Society described JFK as a senior member of the Bar who has mentored hundreds of lawyers and made significant contribution to the development of the legal profession in Sierra Leone.
“Throughout his career, as Deputy Prosecutor of the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Kamara has demonstrated respect and candour to both the Bench and the Bar,” the release stated.
The Society argued that his publicly tendered apology in the Supreme Court should be considered in that context and accepted as a meaningful step towards resolving the matter.
“The Society respectfully calls on the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court to reconsider the decision to cite Mr. Kamara for contempt and to give due consideration to the apology that has been publicly tendered by releasing him unconditionally,” it added.
The statement comes after JFK was remanded at the Male Correctional Centre at Pademba Road on Thursday, 8th October, after Chief Justice Komba Kamanda ruled that his apology over remarks made during the hearing on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2025 was inadequate.
The Lawyers’ Society, which is a breakaway professional association of lawyers distinct from the Sierra Leone Bar Association and the General Legal Council, also urged all parties to remain focused on the substantive constitutional questions before the Court.
“The interests of justice require that the constitutional issues be determined carefully, dispassionately and without allowing collateral matters to override them,” the Society said.
It added that it hopes the matter can be resolved in a manner that preserves the dignity of the Court, protects the proper role of counsel and allows attention to return to the constitutional issues requiring determination.
JFK is expected to remain in custody until Tuesday, 13th October 2026, when the Supreme Court is scheduled to resume the landmark hearing challenging whether Parliament met the constitutional threshold to pass the bill that seeks to change the presidential election threshold, reintroduce Proportional Representation and introduce a 30% quota for women.
