By Zainab.joaque@awokonewspaper.sl
SIERRA LEONE, Freetown – Justice Edward Amoako Asante was re-elected as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice by his peers for an initial two years following an election by the Court’s five-member College of Judges.
The election followed the assumption of duty of the two new Judges, Justices Claudio Monteiro Goncalves from Cape Verde and Sengu Mohammed Koroma from Sierra Leone who were recently sworn in.
Also, Justice Gberi be-Ouattara was re-elected as the Court’s Vice President.
Justice Asante, who was among three judges of the Court whose tenures were extended by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Community, said his re-election showed the confidence his colleagues reposed in him.
According to Justice Asante, his re-election will allow him to improve on the performance of the previous college to strengthen the Court’s role in the delivery of justice and deepen its enviable jurisprudence which has made it a global brand, particularly in the areas of human rights that has become its signature mandate.
He welcomed the two new Judges to the Court’s family and expressed confidence that with their pedigree, they would contribute immensely to furthering the work of the Court and assured them of the Court’s determination to provide the necessary tools to ensure that they functioned optimally.
Justice Asante expressed thanks to the outgoing Judges, Justices Keikura Bangura and Januaria Tavares Silva Moreira Costa from Sierra Leone and Cape Verde- who just completed their tenure and assured them that they will continue to be a valuable resource for the Court.
The Court took the new Judges who were appointed for a four–year term, through some administrative issues related to their tenure as statutory appointees of the ECOWAS Community.
Among the three judges whose tenure was renewed by the Heads of State and Government of the Community, was Justice Dupe Atoki from Nigeria. ZIJ/17/10/2022
