Justice Isaac Lenaola has been elected as the Vice President of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone at the Court’s Plenary held in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to an announcement by the Judiciary, Lenaola was unanimously elected on Thursday, February 29, to deputize Justice Richard Lussick of Samoa who was elected President of the court for a two-year term.
Kenya’s Judiciary in the statement expressed its delight with the election of Justice Lenaola, stating that his experience in the legal practice qualified him as a perfect fit for the role.
“Justice Lenaola’s wealth of experience and dedication to justice makes him a fitting choice for this prestigious role. He will deputize Justice Richard Lussick of Samoa who was elected President of the court for a two-year term,” the statement read in part.
Judge Lenaola was appointed to the Court in 2013 by the then Secretary General of the United Nations, HE Ban Ki Moon.
The Residual Special Court for Sierra is a special court, established as the successor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL).
Functions Isaac Lenaola will play
The SCSL was initially created by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to prosecute persons found to have played a big role for serious violations of humanitarian laws witnessed during the civil war that rocked the country in the 1990s.
After more than a decade since its formation in 1996, the court was dissolved in 2013 and replaced by the current RSCSL and its roles transferred to its predecessor where Lenaola serves.
Its mandate includes Witness Protection and Support, responding to threats related to testimony given before the SCSL and provide appropriate protection and support measures.
Judges of the court are also charged with the duty of assisting National Prosecution Authorities, manage governmental requests for evidence and information to support investigations, prosecutions, forfeiture proceedings and asylum cases.
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Other functions played by the court include ensuring that confidentiality obligations are upheld, managing the disclosure of exculpatory evidence and requests from other States for documents relevant to witness protection orders.
Currently, the court is also charged with the role of supervising the imprisonment of former President of Liberia, Charles Ghankay Taylor.
In addition to Taylor, the RSCSL is expected to charge former Sierra Leone Head of State and Military Leader John Koroma who is indicted by the court’s predecessor for trial.
Lenaola’s experience in Judiciary
With his wealth of experience accumulated throughout his practice, Lenaola- University of Nairobi and the Kenya School of Law graduate- will work with the President to help the court achieve its mandate.
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His experience in the Judiciary dates back to 2003 when he joined the judicial service and worked as Resident Judge in Embu, Meru, Machakos and Kakamega High Courts.
As a High Court Judge, Hon. Lenaola also served as a Commissioner at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and was previously a Member of the Board, Judicial Training Institute (JTI) and Chairman of the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) and Treasurer of the East African Magistrates and Judges Association (EAMJA).
Until his appointment as Judge of the Supreme Court, Judge Lenaola was the Presiding Judge of the Constitutional and Human Rights Division at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi where he rendered illuminating and groundbreaking decisions on human rights, devolution, separation of powers among other areas of jurisprudence.
