The Special Court of Sierra Leone yesterday administered the oath of office to Kenyan born Justice Philip Waki as an Alternate Judge of the Appeals Chamber.
Welcoming guests at ceremony which was held in the Trial Chamber, Registrar Binta Mansaray disclosed that “in December 2006, an Independent Expert recommended that the Court appoint an Alternate Judge for the Taylor trial and an Alternate Judge for the Appeals Chamber.”
She said that the expert, the late Judge Antonio Cassese, pointed out that the Taylor trial would be of “central importance to the success of the Special Court,” as it is very important for it to “run smoothly and not falter.”
The Special Court Registrar maintained that the Expert suggested further that the Court appoints a “distinguished African jurist”.
“Today I am proud to say that, Justice Philip Waki in whose honor we are gathered here today represents the distinguished African jurist the Late Justice Cassesse had envisioned.”
Giving a background of the team the judge will be joining Registrar Binta Mansaray said the Appeals Chamber which “will be remembered both in history and in precedent for breaking new grounds in international jurisprudence.”
She recalled that it was this Appeal Chamber “which first decided appeals relating to the conscription, enlistment and use of child soldiers; forced marriage as a crime against humanity; and attacks directed against UN peacekeepers as a war crime.”
Binta Mansaray said that the appointment of Justice Waki “is a sign that the Special Court has yet again taken a step closer to completing our mandate but there is still work to do.”
Hoping that the judgment in the Taylor trial will be delivered in the coming weeks she said “the Appeals Chamber will hear any appeal which may arise out of the Taylor trial.”
President of the Court Jon Kamanda in welcoming the Alternate Judge said a lot has been said about the judge with regards to his qualification and this has made him fit into the “distinguished Chamber.”
He said that the Chamber comprises of different people and from different nationality and the Chamber is supported by a formidable legal team adding that they hope to benefit from his “distinguished and academic wealth.”
Justice Philip Waki took the oath of office to serve “without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.” He promised to serve “as judge of the Special Court of Sierra Leone honestly, faithfully, impartially and conscientiously.”
Justice Philip Waki has been a judge of the Kenyan Court of Appeal since 2003, and from 1995 to 2003 served as a Judge of the High Court of Kenya. In 2008, he was named to head the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence in Kenya, also known as the “Waki Commission,” which looked into the political violence committed during Kenya’s 2007 elections.
By Betty Milton
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