Is Dr. Abu Bakarr Bangura Qualified To Head The Sierra Leone Law School?
The leadership of the Sierra Leone Law School requires more than academic excellence. It demands the highest standards of professional competence, credibility, integrity and a demonstrable understanding of legal practice.
However, questions have emerged regarding the professional qualifications of Dr. Abu Bakarr Bangura, former Director of the Sierra Leone Law School, particularly whether he was formally admitted and enrolled as a legal practitioner in Sierra Leone or Australia.
It is important to distinguish between academic qualifications in law and professional admission to practise as a lawyer. Possessing an LLB, LLM, PhD or Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice does not, in itself, automatically confer the status of a qualified legal practitioner. Formal admission by the relevant legal authority is a separate requirement.
Under Sierra Leone’s Legal Practitioners Act, 2000, admission and enrolment are fundamental requirements for recognition as a legal practitioner entitled to practise law in the country. Similarly, in Australia, legal practice requires formal admission by the appropriate state or territory authority.
So far, our investigation has not independently established, through publicly available records, whether Dr. Bangura was formally admitted to practise law in either jurisdiction. This uncertainty raises important questions about his professional standing and whether he met the applicable statutory and professional requirements for his appointment as Director of the Sierra Leone Law School.
Against this background, the Council of Legal Education is being called upon to provide clarity on the following questions:
1. Was Dr. Abu Bakarr Bangura formally admitted and enrolled as a legal practitioner in Sierra Leone?
2. Was he admitted to practise law in Australia? If so, which state or territory granted his admission?
3. What practical legal experience did he possess before his appointment as Director of the Sierra Leone Law School?
4. What statutory, academic and professional criteria were applied in determining his eligibility for the position?
5. Can the Council of Legal Education make public the relevant documentation establishing that he satisfied the requirements for the appointment?
These questions should not be interpreted as personal attacks against Dr. Bangura. Rather, they are legitimate matters of public interest concerning transparency, accountability and the professional standards of an institution entrusted with training Sierra Leone’s future legal practitioners.
Academic achievements deserve recognition, but they must not be conflated with professional admission and qualification to practise law. The distinction is particularly important for an institution whose primary responsibility is to prepare law graduates for professional legal practice.
The Council of Legal Education therefore has a responsibility to address these concerns with verifiable information and relevant documentation. Dr. Bangura should also be afforded an opportunity to clarify his professional credentials and respond to the questions raised.
Ultimately, the credibility of the Sierra Leone Law School depends not only on the quality of its academic programmes but also on the integrity, competence and professional standing of those entrusted with its leadership.
The rule of law must begin with those entrusted with teaching it.
