By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Oct. 6, GNA – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has sworn in five new judges of the Community Court of Justice for a four-year non-renewable term.
The judges were sworn into office on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the ECOWAS Commission by His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the President of Senegal and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The new judges are Mr Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin, Hon. Justice Awa Bah of The Gambia and Mrs. Charlyne M. Brumskine of Liberia.
The others are Mrs. Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria and Dr Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.
They were appointed by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its 69th Ordinary Session held at Lungi, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 2026.
Their appointment was made pursuant to the December 2025 Supplementary Act relating to the Community Court of Justice.
The Act provides that the Court shall consist of five independent judges selected from among persons of high moral character who are nationals of ECOWAS Member States.
It also requires candidates to possess qualifications for appointment to the Supreme Court or a similar-ranking court and have recognised competence in international law, particularly community or regional integration law.
The candidates are also required to have accumulated at least 20 years of professional experience.
Under Article 5 of the Supplementary Act, each judge is required to take an Oath of Office or make a solemn Declaration before the Chairman of the Authority before assuming office.
The new judges succeeded five justices whose four-year tenure had ended.
They were Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves of Cape Verde, Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma of Sierra Leone and Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki of Nigeria.
The outgoing judges also included Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and Justice Edward Amoako Asante of Ghana.
Upon assuming duty, the five new judges are expected to elect a President and Vice-President from among themselves.
The President and Vice-President will serve for a two-year term in accordance with the provisions governing the Court.
The Community Court of Justice is the judicial organ of ECOWAS responsible for matters falling within its mandate under the Community’s legal framework.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah