By: Saidu Jalloh (Intern)
His Excellency, the President Julius Maada Bio has on the 20th September 2023 met with the International Criminal Court Prosecutor (ICC) to discuss Sierra Leone’s Leadership role at the ICC and tenure as non- permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Prosecutor karim Khan also acknowledges president Bio as the president of Sierra Leone.
The prosecutor expressed great admiration in the leadership qualities of President Julius Maada Bio by way of promoting democracy and good governance.
Before the meeting there were lots of speculations about president Bio being indicted for crime against humanity and other human rights abuses, which is now proven to be false and unfounded.
In the meeting, president Bio opined that the prosecutor, Mr. Karim Khan had called for the excellent partnership between Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to be strengthened and that included on Sierra Leone to assume leadership of African Members of the UN Security Council (A3) on Accountability and ICC matters.
President Bio also expressed that Prosecutor Khan noted that Sierra Leone had many things to be proud of, including its commitment to the rule of law. “I reiterated Sierra Leone’s commitment to promoting, accountability and human rights protection during our tenure at the security council,” president Bio explained.
President Bio added that he has emphasized his government’s readiness to continue its leadership role in supporting the effectiveness to operate within its mandates and with its constituency.
President Bio also assured prosecutor Khan that he had expressed his readiness to work with the ICC during their tenure at the Security Council to advance priorities to help build a just, safe and secure world.
Khan said, “first thing he is the president of Sierra Leone and Sierra Leone is a proud country that has important role to play in international justice, and Sierra Leone is one of the elected three African countries to be non-permanent member of the security council for the year 2024 and 2025.”
Prosecutor Khan stated that Sierra Leone has a very good relationship with the ICC, Honourable Justice Miachi and Kanu and those justices there know about it and they supported the special court in Sierra Leone.
Prosecutor Khan acknowledges that Sierra Leone has been supporting the ICC and they want to make sure that they can count on Sierra Leone and work with them and benefits from Sierra Leone leadership interns of international justice.
Khan added that ICC was driven by one principle which is equality of humanity and the lives of people in the globe whether in South/ Latin America, Asia or Africa what matters much was people’s lives everywhere else to deliver the promise of justice.
Prosecutor intimated that they need partnership, and it is regular option to meet with presidents and fortify the bond of trust and to look which justice can be confined to prosecutor in the Hague like myself or judges but can be felt by the people of Sierra Leone.
“I had the honour of living and working in Sierra Leone. I think Sierra Leone is a wonderful country which the people have showed great fortitude, great brilliance from judge Koroma to judge Miachi of ICC and Ambassador Kanu,” prosecutor Khan added.
Prosecutor Khan told Sierra Leoneans that they had a lot to be proud of and their role in international justice is not a small one and it was something every Sierra Leoneans should be proud of in Lungi, Freetown or other parts of the country.
