The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone has ruled that the former vice president’s dismissal from office by the president was constitutional.
Samuel Sam-Sumana had filed a case in the highest court in the country to rule on whether President Ernest Bai Koroma acted within his constitutional powers to remove him from office.
The former vice president was sacked after being kicked out of the ruling party, All People’s Congress (APC). After his party had kicked him out, he immediately went into hiding, claiming his life was in danger. He even sought asylum in the United States.
The court ruled that Sam-Sumana’s loss of membership of his political party automatically created a vacancy in the office of the vice president. It further clarified that the president had the powers t remove a vice-president in circumstances where constitutional provisions are not expressly applicable.
The ruling was greeted with silence inside the Freetown courthouse that was packed to capacity more than two hours before the set time for the commencement of the hearing.
Sam-Sumana’s advocate said that his client would consider appealing to the higher ECOWAS regional court in Nigeria.
In his place, the president appointed veteran APC powerbroker Victor Bockarie Foh as the new vice president.
Foh was APC’s secretary general for more than a decade until he was appointed Sierra Leone’s ambassador to China.
This appointment is seen to be very significant as Koroma will not be eligible to vie in the 2017 polls having served as president for two terms.
