14/09/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
President Julius Maada Bio Refers Petition on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill to Supreme Court for Judicial Opinion
Freetown, Monday, 14 September 2026 – The general public is hereby informed that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, on 10 September 2026, received from the Clerk of Parliament a Bill titled “The Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2026,” for Presidential Assent.
Earlier, on 4 September 2026, the President received a petition from the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) raising constitutional questions regarding the passage of the Bill by Parliament.
Additionally, the President has followed with keen interest the various debates surrounding the Bill and the differing views expressed, both in support of and against its passage.
It is the President’s considered view that the passage of such an important Bill, touching on the constitutional and democratic foundations of the Republic, requires broad national consensus and must be underpinned by constitutional clarity, in order to inspire citizens’ trust and confidence in Sierra Leone’s constitutional review process.
Accordingly, pursuant to Section 122(1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, the President has directed that the petition concerning the Bill be referred to the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone for a judicial opinion. In exercising this constitutional authority, the President has mandated the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to facilitate the referral.
By this release, the Clerk of Parliament is hereby notified that, where the judicial opinion is not received from the Supreme Court within fourteen days from the presentation of the Bill, the final decision of the President on the Bill will be communicated to Parliament at the earliest opportunity upon receipt of the judicial opinion from the Supreme Court.
