Freetown, Monday, 14 September 2026 — President Julius Maada Bio has referred the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2026 to the Supreme Court for a judicial opinion following constitutional questions raised over its passage by Parliament.
According to a statement from the Office of the Press Secretary at State House, President Bio received the Bill from the Clerk of Parliament on 10 September 2026 for Presidential Assent.
The decision follows a petition submitted to the President on 4 September by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), raising constitutional questions concerning the passage of the Bill.
State House said the President has also been following public debates surrounding the legislation, including differing views expressed both in support of and against its passage.
The statement said President Bio considers the Bill to be of significant national importance because it touches on Sierra Leone’s constitutional and democratic foundations. He therefore believes its passage requires broad national consensus and constitutional clarity to strengthen public trust and confidence in the country’s constitutional review process.
Accordingly, the President has invoked Section 122(1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, directing that the petition concerning the Bill be referred to the Supreme Court for a judicial opinion.
The President has mandated the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to facilitate the referral.
State House further said the Clerk of Parliament has been notified that if the Supreme Court’s judicial opinion is received within 14 days of the presentation of the Bill, the President’s final decision on the legislation will be communicated to Parliament at the earliest opportunity after receiving the Court’s opinion.
The Presidency described the move as an “unprecedented step” reflecting President Bio’s commitment to ensuring that matters of profound national importance are handled with due diligence, transparency and fidelity to the Constitution.
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