Justice Chile Eboe-Osuji sworn in as new CCJ judge

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has welcomed a new judge following the recent swearing-in of distinguished Nigerian-born Justice Chile Eboe-Osuji.
The oath of office was administered by Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo, ORTT (Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago), President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, at the President’s House in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Justice Eboe-Osuji is the first Nigerian-Canadian to be appointed to the Court. He was selected from a pool of 26 applicants by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), an independent body of 11 members responsible for appointing the Judges and staff of the Court.
Applicants must have either served as a judge for at least five years or have a minimum of 15 years of experience in the practice or teaching of law in a country that is either a signatory to the Agreement Establishing the CCJ or a Commonwealth territory.
At the ceremony, the President of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr Justice Adrian Saunders, described the appointment process as “one of, if not the most sacred roles carried out by the RJLSC.”
He welcomed Justice Eboe-Osuji by stating, “Mr Justice Eboe-Osuji has an impeccable record of service as a lawyer and jurist… I have no doubt that he will make an important contribution to the development of our Caribbean jurisprudence.”
In his remarks, Justice Eboe-Osuji emphasised the significance of the Court.
“The Court serves its purpose not only as a court for CARICOM nations to resolve disputes arising from the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, but also to ensure that there is no need to look beyond the seas for a final court of appeal, given the quality of judges we have on this Bench. It is an incredible honour for me to have been selected,” he said.
President Kangaloo congratulated Justice Eboe-Osuji, stating, that since its establishment, the CCJ has been unswerving in the pursuit of its vision of becoming a model of judicial excellence, however with this swearing in the CCJ has taken a grand step in upscaling its efforts.
“Today, the CCJ has taken another important step in pursuit of that vision by adding Justice Eboe-Osuji to its ranks. Justice Eboe-Osuji is a brilliant legal mind and a gifted jurist whose long and distinguished career, as we have heard, has spanned many countries and institutions.”
Justice Eboe-Osuji brings a wealth of experience in criminal and human rights law to the Court. He has practised law as a barrister before trial courts in Nigeria and Canada and has conducted appeals before the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. He previously served as a Judge and President of the International Criminal Court and was a Legal Advisor to the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights. He also led the drafting of amicus curiae submissions to the European Court of Human Rights and the United States (US) Supreme Court. His legal career further includes roles as a legal advisor, published author, and professor.
Justice Eboe-Osuji’s appointment fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Mr Justice Andrew Burgess earlier this month, on April 11. Judges of the CCJ serve until the age of seventy-two, while the President of the Court holds office for a non-renewable term of seven years.
Candidates for the position are evaluated on criteria including high moral character, intellectual and analytical ability, sound judgment, integrity, and an understanding of people and society.
The CCJ serves as the final court of appeal for Barbados, Belize, and Guyana, and it also adjudicates disputes between Member States of CARICOM. The selection and appointment process for judges of the CCJ is rigorous, competitive, merit-based, and entirely independent of political influence.