Two new judges sworn in for the ECOWAS Court

By Chimezie Godfrey

Two new Judges were on Thursday, sworn-in for the ECOWAS Court of Justice by the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Community, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau at a ceremony in Bissau.

Justices Sengu Mohammed Koroma from Sierra Leone and Claudio Monteiro Goncalves from Cape Verde will replace Justices Keikura Bangura and Januaria Tavares Silva Moreira Costa from Sierra Leone and Cape Verde respectively who just completed their tenure at the Court.

The new judges will join the President of the Court, Justice Edward Amoako Asante from Ghana, the Vice President, Justice Gberi-be Ouattara from Cote d’Ivoire and Justice Dupe Atoki from Nigeria, whose terms were renewed by the Heads of State and Government of the Community.

Following their swearing in, the President of the Court, Justice Asante welcomed them to the team and expressed the hope that they will contribute to strengthening the Court’s rich jurisprudence during their four year tenure.

The President, who was among dignitaries at the ceremony added : ‘ We are excited at their appointment by the leaders of ECOWAS and look forward to their resumption of duty so that they can contribute their quota to reducing the Court’s bulging case docket.’