Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, a senior lawyer and former Attorney-General popularly known as JFK, was remanded in custody on Thursday, 8 October 2026, after Chief Justice Komba Kamanda of Sierra Leone, rejected his apology and found him in contempt of court during Supreme Court proceedings.
Kamara, lead counsel for the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), was representing party interests in a challenge to the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2025. The dispute centres on whether Parliament followed the correct constitutional procedure when the bill was treated as passed earlier this year.
The confrontation began on Wednesday, 7 October, when Kamara challenged the Attorney-General’s Office over what he said was the failure to file required documents, including a Statement of Case. The exchange grew heated. Remarks attributed to Kamara, described by the Chief Justice as “terribly derogatory” et “very, very degrading” to the Court’s personality and integrity, prompted an immediate rebuke. Chief Justice Kamanda insisted the Supreme Court is founded on independence and integrity, and is not a political theatre.
When proceedings resumed on Thursday, the Chief Justice required Kamara to issue a public apology and expressly withdraw the earlier remarks, warning that failure to do so could lead to contempt proceedings or restrictions on his right to appear before the Court. Kamara apologised, stating that his comments had been motivated by his professional duty to defend his client and uphold the Constitution. After a short recess of about 15 minutes, the Chief Justice ruled the apology inadequate.
Kamara was then ordered to remove his wig, enter the dock and face police officers summoned into the courtroom. He was taken into custody and remanded to Pademba Road Prison until the next hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October 2026. As he was led away, he told members of the Bar: “I will be back.”
A later brief appearance the same day did not result in release. Reports that bail had been granted were later corrected as Kamara remained in custody.
In another report, the General Legal Council criticised Kamara’s conduct during the hearings as discourteous and falling short of professional standards, while also urging the Court to reconsider the custodial sentence in the interests of justice and the relationship between the Bench and the Bar.
Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone Lawyers’ Society had expressed deep concern over the detention, and called for his unconditional release, arguing that his public apology should be accepted.
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