Abdul Tejan-Cole
Encyclopedia
Abdul Tejan-Cole is a Sierra Leone
an legal practitioner and the Commissioner of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission. He was awarded the 2001 Human Rights Watch
award.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws
(Hons) Degree from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
, a Master of Laws
from University College London
and a post-graduate diploma in International Trade Law from the University Institute of European Studies. He was a Human Rights Teaching Fellow at Columbia University
in New York and a Yale World Fellow
.
He worked as a trial attorney and appellate counsel in the Special Court for Sierra Leone and taught law at the University of Sierra Leone. He was the Deputy Director at the International Center for Transitional Justice
’s (ICTJ) Cape Town Office and worked as Adviser and Component Manager Law Justice and Human Rights - Justice Sector Development Programme. He served as Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, and later as Vice President and then as President. He was Board Chair of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa
(OSIWA) (2002–07) and is currently Chair of West Africa Democracy Radio
(WADR) and a board member of the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI), Timap for Justice
, and West Africa Civil Society Institute. He was appointed Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission in December 2007.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
an legal practitioner and the Commissioner of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission. He was awarded the 2001 Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
award.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(Hons) Degree from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
University of Sierra Leone
The University of Sierra Leone is the name of the former unitary public university system in Sierra Leone, which, as of May 2005, was reconstitued into the individual colleges of Fourah Bay College and Njala University. It is now affiliated to many colleges in Sierra Leone.-See also:* Fourah Bay...
, a Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
from University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
and a post-graduate diploma in International Trade Law from the University Institute of European Studies. He was a Human Rights Teaching Fellow at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York and a Yale World Fellow
Yale World Fellows Program
The Yale World Fellows Program is a program run by Yale University that seeks to build a network of emerging global leaders and broaden international understanding at Yale...
.
He worked as a trial attorney and appellate counsel in the Special Court for Sierra Leone and taught law at the University of Sierra Leone. He was the Deputy Director at the International Center for Transitional Justice
International Center for Transitional Justice
The International Center for Transitional Justice was founded in 2001 as a non-profit organization dedicated to pursuing accountability for mass atrocity and human rights abuse through transitional justice mechanisms.-Mission statement:...
’s (ICTJ) Cape Town Office and worked as Adviser and Component Manager Law Justice and Human Rights - Justice Sector Development Programme. He served as Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, and later as Vice President and then as President. He was Board Chair of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa
Open Society Initiative for West Africa
Open Society Initiative for West Africa is a West African organization which promotes democratic values. OSIWA "believes that it best serves by sustaining catalytic and innovative initiatives that add value to the efforts of West Africa's civil society." OSIWA also believes in the value of...
(OSIWA) (2002–07) and is currently Chair of West Africa Democracy Radio
West Africa Democracy Radio
West Africa Democracy Radio is a trans-territorial, sub-regional broadcaster based in Dakar, Senegal. WADR is a project of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa set up in 2003 to protect and defend the ideals of democratic and open societies by disseminating development information through...
(WADR) and a board member of the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI), Timap for Justice
Timap for Justice
Timap for Justice is a non-profit that provides free justice services to people in Sierra Leone. It is based on a paralegal model, providing people with access to "education, mediation, negotiation, organizing, and advocacy". The organization is run by Simeon Koroma and Nancy Sesay, two lawyers...
, and West Africa Civil Society Institute. He was appointed Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission in December 2007.