Sierra Leone Telegraph: 16 July 2025:
The judiciary and legal fraternity of Sierra Leone are in mourning following the passing of Hon. Justice Abubakar Binneh Kamara, a young, distinguished High Court Judge of fifteen years’ service. He died at Choithram Memorial Hospital in Freetown.
Justice Binneh Kamara served with dedication and integrity as a judge of the Superior Court of Judicature, contributing significantly to the administration of justice in the country. His commitment to the rule of law and his impartiality on the bench earned him the respect of colleagues, legal practitioners, and the wider public.
Until his untimely passing, he remained an active and respected member of the judiciary, known for his depth of legal knowledge, strong ethical values, and unwavering pursuit of justice.
The justice system in Sierra Leone, academia and ordinary citizens today mourn a senior lawyer many describe as a true servant of the law.
In May this year, Binneh-Kamara’s appointment by President Bio to serve as Justice of the Court of Appeal was confirmed by Parliament. He was appointed the first Dean of the newly established Faculty of Law at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone in November 2023.
He led the faculty during its early stage of development and had also served as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Fourah Bay College.
As tributes pour in on social media in memory of Justice Binneh Kamara, Gunther AB Daramy wrote the following:
If the world was mine, a lot of things would not have happened. One is not allowing Justice Dr. Abu Bhakarr Muhammad Binneh-Kamara to die. But as they say, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
About fifteen years ago, my mother, Haja Kuntumi Daramy, came home from court with my cousin, Abdul Glette. I still remember that afternoon vividly, the way she stood in the corridor shaking her head, half in disbelief, half in laughter. She said a neighbor across the small river had taken my cousin to court, accusing him of “breaking the house of their devil.”
I can still hear how she narrated it, with a mix of amusement and respect for the young magistrate then known as Binneh-Kamara. The complainant had insisted, “This man broke the house of our devil.”
Magistrate Binneh-Kamara paused, looked at the complainant, and asked calmly, “Are you sure the house of the devil was demolished?” When the complainant said yes, the magistrate nodded and said, “Good. Then bring the devil to court.”
That case, like many trivial claims rooted in superstition, died that day. No one ever spoke again about the demolition of the devil’s house. But for us, it was the day we knew there was a magistrate who understood the law and the society it served, with humour and with sense.
Years later, I met Justice Binneh-Kamara in person when he became my lecturer for Media Law and Ethics at the Department of Mass Communication, Fourah Bay College.
The man I had heard stories about in court was now explaining to us the delicate difference between law and ethics, and how media must navigate these under every political regime.
His classes were not mere lectures; they were awakening moments that grounded us in the responsibilities of speech, power, and truth.
As a member of Sierra Leone’s elite academic and legal community, it would be prudent for us to honour July 15, 2025, as Justice Dr. Binneh-Kamara Day.
He lived a good life, a life that mattered, and left behind a legacy rooted in service, humility, and intellectual rigor.
Justice Dr. Abou Bhakarr Muhammad Binneh-Kamara held prominent positions that shaped Sierra Leone’s legal and academic landscapes:
- Justice of the Court of Appeal in the Superior Court of Judicature, Sierra Leone.
- First Dean of the Faculty of Law, Fourah Bay College, leading its foundation from November 2023 during its critical developmental stage.
- High Court Judge, serving until his passing.
- Senior Lecturer in Mass Communication, shaping minds in media law and ethics.
His nomination to the Court of Appeal was confirmed by Parliament on May 23, 2025, marking the culmination of over fifteen years of dedicated legal service across the country.
Even while serving in high offices, he pursued intellectual advancement as a Ph.D. research student at the University of Sussex, focusing on the constitutionality and legal significance of media freedoms and regulations in post-conflict Sierra Leone.
Justice Binneh-Kamara was not just a judge; he was a teacher, a scholar, and a man who understood that the law must make sense to the people it serves.
His wisdom, humour, and integrity are what Sierra Leone needs to remember and emulate.
If the world was mine, I would keep him here a little longer. But now that he is gone, we can honour him by living by the values he lived for: justice, humility, and truth.
May his soul rest in peace.
Kandeh Yumkella for SL President? No, considering his history as NGC Leader! I will wait until we evolve our own TRAORE.