Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh
Haja Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh, GCOR (born April 16, 1949 ) is a Sierra Leonean lawyer who was the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone from 2008 to 2015.
Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh GCOR | |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of Sierra Leone | |
| In office January 2008 – February 2015 | |
| Nominated by | Ernest Bai Koroma |
| Preceded by | Ade Renner Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Abdulai Hamid Charm |
| Sierra Leone Court of Appeals Judge | |
| In office 2004–2008 | |
| Nominated by | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah |
| Sierra Leone High Court Judge | |
| In office 1996–2004 | |
| Nominated by | Ahmad Tejan Kabbah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 April 1949 Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Nationality | Sierra Leonean |
| Political party | None |
| Residence | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Alma mater | Fourah Bay College |
| Profession | Judge |
Early life and background
She was born on April 16, 1949 and grew up in the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown to Muslim parents from the Fula ethnic group, originally from Koinadugu District in the north of Sierra Leone. Like her parents, Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh is also a Muslim. She is the older sister of Sierra Leonean diplomat Sulaiman Tejan-Jalloh. Jalloh's mother was the President of the Sierra Leone National Fullah Women’s Association for twenty six years; and her father served in the Freetown City Council.
Education
She attended the Harford Secondary School for Girls in Moyamba, Moyamba District and the St. Edward's Secondary School in Freetown. After her secondary education, she attended Sierra Leone's Fourah Bay College and Njala University and got a Bachelor of Laws degree. In 1974, she got a scholarship to study at the prestigious Columbia University in New York, where she did her Master of Laws. She later continued her legal education at the University of London.
Career
In 1975, she was appointed as a State Counsel in the Sierra Leone Ministry of Justice. She was later promoted to senior State Counsel and Principal State Council. In 1996 she was appointed as a High Court Judge, where she served until 2004, when she was appointed as a Court of Appeals Judge. She remained in that position until she was appointed as the Supreme Court's Chief Justice in 2008.
She was sworn in as Sierra Leone's Chief Justice on January 25, 2008, succeeding retired Chief Justice Ade Renner Thomas. She was the first woman to hold the Chief Justice position in Sierra Leone's history .
She proceeded on leave to retirement on 6 February 2015 , with Valesius Thomas as acting Chief Justice, until finally being replaced by Abdulai Hamid Charm on 25 January 2016.
Honors
Sierra Leone: Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (2008)