By Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara in Port Loko.
In the midst of the APC Youth League Conference, found time to rub shoulders with the market women and regular guys in the hood to feel the pulse of Government influence and effect of Justice to the ordinary man. Quite a revealing and interesting experience.
About JFK
Joseph Kamara Fitzgerald Kamara was born in Makeni, Bombali District, Northern Province of the Republic of Sierra Leone. He attended the St. Augustine Catholic Primary School and did his secondary education at the Albert Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Mr. Kamara is a graduate of the Faculty of Law, Fourah Bay College, at the University of Sierra Leone. He was called to the Bar in 1991. He subsequently received a Masters in Law from Southern Methodist University in 2000.
Mr. Kamara is married to Lynette Kamara and blessed with two daughters and a son.
Honourable Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara is Sierra Leone’s current Attorney General and Minister of Justice, one of the youngest to hold that position in recent times.
Prior to his appointment Mr. Kamara headed his country’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) where he succeeded in establishing a robust Anti-corruption regime. Before he left as Commissioner, JFK had succeeded in lifting Sierra Leone’s Anti-corruption profile from the bottom position of 134 in 2010 to 119 in 2015 in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index.
A member of the African Union Board on Anti-Corruption, JFK has over 25 years’ experience at the Bar, having graduated from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone in 1989 with LLB(Hons). He worked for the Government of Sierra Leone as State Prosecutor following his call to the bar in 1990.
JFK has a weath of international experience as a promoter and defender of human rights. Following the end of the Civil War in Sierra Leone, JFK was appointed Deputy Prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
His contribution to international jurisprudence with regards to crimes against humanity has been well documented.
An avid educationist JFK has lectured on various subjects including International Criminal Law and Corporate and Business Law in Sierra Leone. JFK is passionate about expanding the boundaries of human rights protection and improving access to justice, in particular for vulnerable groups like women and children in his country.
Following his appointment as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, he has worked closely with the Legal Aid Board of Sierra Leone in providing legal assistance to many indigent Sierra Leoneans. Over 1500 cases have already been dealt with leading to the release of hundreds of inmates. He is presently seeking support from donors, partners and civil society stakeholders to repeal and modernise certain outdated laws that undermine fundamental freedoms including freedom expression and human rights.
Foremost among his list of achievements are the following:
Former President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association;
Winner of the world Bank Integrity Award 2010;
Joint winner of the International Association of Prosecutors Award in recognition for promoting International Criminal Justice;
Avon International Award Winner in recognition of support for women’s Rights and;
Former First Vice President of the West African Bar Association.
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