LADY JUSTICE IMANI DAUD ABOUD President LADY JUSTICE IMANI DAUD ABOUD President Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud is a national of Tanzania. She was first elected as Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in July 2018. She was re-elected for a second and final term of six (6) years in February 2021. She was first elected as President of the Court in May 2021 and was re-elected in July 2023, for a final two-year term. She holds Master of Laws (Malta) and Bachelor of Laws (University of Dar es Salaam). Justice Aboud is Judge of the High Court of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. She has held several key positions, including the post of the Assistant Director in the President’s Office (Public Service Management) and the State Attorney. She has represented the Government in various international human rights conferences, seminars and workshops. She was also involved in making periodic reports on Human Rights to UN and other monitoring bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She is a Member of important regional bodies such as the Board of Directors of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), representing African Region; Advisory Board of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Citizen for Justice (CFJ) based in Malawi; and Member of the Monitoring Team assigned by the United Nations Mechanism for the International Criminal Tribunal (MICT), Arusha, Tanzania, on 1994 Rwandan genocide cases. Justice Aboud has also served as a Vice Chairperson in the Independent Review Electoral Commission (IREC or Krigler Commission) in Kenya. The Commission was formed to facilitate the work of the Panel of Eminent Personalities under the leadership of the late Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General. The Commission’s responsibility was to review the 2007 election process in Kenya. Justice Aboud has extensively participated as an expert in various local judicial and human rights committees and institutions. JUSTICE SACKO MODIBO Vice president JUSTICE SACKO MODIBO Vice president Hon. Justice Sacko Modibo is a citizen of the Republic of Mali. He was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in February 2021, for a six-year term. He was elected as Vice President of the Court in July 2023 for a two-year term. The Honourable Justice SACKO holds several law degrees. He has successfully defended two doctoral theses, one in private law, in 2019, on the topic “The repression of human rights violations in times of armed conflict: the case of Mali”, and the other in public law, in 2023, on the topic “Intelligence in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism”. Judge SACKO is also the author of several publications on human rights, international humanitarian law, transitional justice, strategic litigation, money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Judge SACKO has undergone a number of professional training courses, mainly in the field of human rights, international humanitarian law, humanitarian issues, gender, international security and defence issues, including peacekeeping operations, and the prevention, prosecution and punishment of transnational organised crime. Prior to his election to the African Court, Judge SACKO held a number of positions in Malian courts. He also held the position of Technical Adviser in charge of human rights, public freedoms, the fight against money laundering, the financing of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction at Mali’s Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, before being seconded to Mali’s National Financial Information Processing Unit (CENTIF). He is currently a judge of the Supreme Court of Mali. He is a guest lecturer at the summer course on human rights and international humanitarian law run by the René Cassin Foundation at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg. He is also a lecturer in international humanitarian law, international human rights law, the sociology of human rights, international criminal law and general criminal law at several Malian universities, military academies and the Malian National Police Academy. JUSTICE RAFAÂ BEN ACHOUR Judge JUSTICE RAFAÂ BEN ACHOUR Judge Judge Rafaâ Ben Achour, a Tunisian national, was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in June 2014 for a six-year term. He was subsequently re-elected in 2021 for a second six-year term. He is Professor Emeritus of Public Law at the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences of the University of Carthage (Tunisia) and Honorary Director of the Laboratory of International Law, International Jurisdictions and Comparative Constitutional Law, which he founded in 1992. Judge Ben Achour holds a postgraduate diploma in public law (1978), a postgraduate diploma in political science (1979), a Doctorat d’Etat in international law (1984) and an Agrégation in public law and political science from the University of Tunis (1987). He was previously University President, Minister and Ambassador. He is the author of several books and articles on law. Until 2010, he was an African Union consultant on the transformation of the AU Commission into the AU Authority. Judge Ben Achour was a member of the African Union Commission on International Law (CUADI) from 2009 to 2014. He is a member of the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg (2003). He is a founding member of the International Academy of Constitutional Law, of which he was Secretary-General from 1986 to 1996. He was also a member of the Council of the United Nations University from 2001 to 2007 and an alternate member of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) from 2011 to 2014. Judge Ben Achour has received several awards in Tunisia and abroad. Judge Ben Achour was the recipient of the 2023 Spienza Human Rights Award LADY JUSTICE NTYAM ONDO MENGUE Judge LADY JUSTICE NTYAM ONDO MENGUE Judge Justice Ntyam Ondo Mengue is a national of the Republic of Cameroon. She was elected Judge of the African Court for a six-year term in July 2016. She was re-elected for a second and final term of six years in June 2022. Justice Mengue holds a number of educational qualifications, including: A Diplôme de l’Ecole Normale d’Administration et de Magistrature and a Licence en Droit Privé. At the professional level, she has worked in the judiciary of Cameroon since 1982, that is for over three decades now, holding a number of key positions, such as the President of the Court of Instance of Yaoundé, Vice President of the Court of Appeal; President of the Section on Administrative Contracts of the Court of Supreme Court of Cameroon. She is presently the President of the Commercial Section of the Supreme Court of Cameroon. Justice Mengue is also a member of the National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms of Cameroon, where she has acted as Rapporteur on numerous occasions, and has specialised in thematic areas, such as the right to vote, the rights of detained persons, arbitrary arrests and the right to fair trial. Justice Mengue has taken part in several national and international seminars and conferences, and is a member of a number of professional organisations, including the Association of Cameroon Female Lawyers and Christian Women Association of the Cameroon Presbyterian Church. She is fluent in both French and English. LADY JUSTICE TUJILANE ROSE CHIZUMILA Judge LADY JUSTICE TUJILANE ROSE CHIZUMILA Judge Hon. Lady Justice Tujilane Rose Chizumila is a national of Malawi and was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in January 2017 for a six-year term. She was re-elected for a second and final term of six years in February 2023. Justice Chizumila has a Masters in International Law and has held several positions in the judicial, Legal, Academic, Diplomatic, administrative, governance and corporate fields in Malawi, including Judge of the High Court of Malawi, State Advocate and Legal Aid Advocate with the Ministry of Justice, Secretary of the Law Society of Malawi, first Female Ombudsman, Malawi High Commissioner to Zimbabwe and Proprietor and Founder of Chizumila and Company. She has a number of publications to her credit, including ‘A widow’s perspective – a personal experince’’, a publication which led to the enactment of a law in Parliament, making property grabbing an offence in Malawi. Justice Chizumila speaks English and Swahili. LADY JUSTICE BENSAOULA CHAFIKA Judge LADY JUSTICE BENSAOULA CHAFIKA Judge Lady Justice Bensaoula Chafika is a national of Algeria who was elected judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in January 2017 during the 28th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, for a six-year term. She was re-elected in February 2023 for a second term of six years. Dr Bensaoula, who is currently advisor to the Council of State and the conflicts tribunal and a lecturer at the National School of Magistracy in Algeria, holds a Doctorate Degree in Public Law. She has held several key positions in the judiciary and administration of Algeria, including judge of the Criminal Affairs Chambers, judge of the Court of Appeal, member of the Board of Directors of The Institute of Law and Justice in Malta, Inspector of Administrative and Judicial Courts, advisor to the Minister of Justice. Justice Bensaoula has a number of publications to her credit, including: The Issue of Mediation in Algerian Civil and Administrative Procedure Code. Conciliation in Administrative Matters. Enforcement of Administrative Judgments by the Administration. The Use of Audio-Visual Evidence. Justice Bensaoula speaks Arabic, English, and French. LADY JUSTICE STELLA ISIBHAKHOMEN ANUKAM Judge LADY JUSTICE STELLA ISIBHAKHOMEN ANUKAM Judge Lady Justice Stella Isibhakhomen Anukam is a national of Nigeria. She was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in July 2018 for a term of six years. She obtained a Law degree from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (formerly known as University of Ife) Osun State, Nigeria in 1984. Justice Anukam holds her B.L from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in August, 1985. Justice Anukam is also a Chartered Secretary, a seasoned Administrator and a Chartered Arbitrator. She also serves as a member of several professional bodies, including Panel of Conciliators of international Centre for Settlement of investment Disputes (ICSID), International Bar Association (IBA), African Bar Association, International Federation of Female Lawyers, Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators (ICSA) London, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Institute of Professional Negotiators and Mediators. She serves as a member of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators, Nigeria (ICSAN) and a former Chairperson of the Abuja Chapter. She is former Director, Special Programs, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Abuja, Nigeria, and former Director, International and Comparative Law department of the Federal Ministry of Justice. Justice Anukam commenced her Civil Service career in 1987 and has served in various capacities. She is a recipient of many outstanding honours and awards such as Integrity Driven Women in Public Service, Outstanding Legal Adviser in the Federation and The Corporate Amazon Women of Excellence Award. She also a recipient of the United Nations Ambassador for World Peace and a recipient of the African Peace Award Justice Anukam has over 38 years of professional legal experience with exceptional competence, irreproachable integrity and unwavering dedication to duty. JUSTICE BLAISE TCHIKAYA Judge JUSTICE BLAISE TCHIKAYA Judge Justice Blaise Tchikaya is a national of Republic of Congo. He was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in July 2018 for a six-year term. He was elected as Vice President of the Court in June 2021 and served in that capacity until July 2023. He is a Professor and Senior Lecturer in international public law, international litigation procedures and human rights in the Inter-American system and in African Union laws in various European, Caribbean and African Universities. He studied at the Marien N’Gouabi University of Brazzaville and later pursued further studies in France. There, he obtained the Advanced Studies Diploma (DEA) in Public Law. In 1992 he obtained ‘’First Class Honors’’ for his Doctorate in International Public Law at Paris X-Nanterre University supervised by Professor Alain Pellet. In 2005, he received Pro Facultate Jurisprudentia Medal of Miskolc University (Hungary). After receiving his CAPA (Certificat d ’Aptitude de la Profession d’Avocat) in Paris, he practiced from 2000 to 2006. He is registered by Organisation Pour l’ harmonisation en afrique du droit des affaires (OHADA) since 2002. He also holds a “Habilitation to direct research, HDR” Justice Tchikaya was elected member of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL) at the Assembly of the African Union in 2009. In the same year, he became the first President of AUCIL and has been tasked with the responsibility for the operationalization of the new continental body. He was also the Special Rapporteur on the “Misdeeds of the Trans-Atlantic Slavery against Africa from the perspective of International law” (les méfaits de l’esclavage transatlantique sur l’Afrique du point de vue du droit international”). Justice Tchikaya is author of many articles in international public law. He has published many books, including International Law Jurisprudence 1922 – 2015, which is currently in its seventh edition. He also published in 2004 a reference book on the African Union titled “African Union Law: Principles, Institutions and Jurisprudence”. JUSTICE DUMISA NTSEBEZA Judge JUSTICE DUMISA NTSEBEZA Judge Hon. Justice Dumisa Ntsebeza is a citizen of the Republic of South Africa. He was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in February 2021, for a six-year term. Justice Dumisa Ntsebeza is a Professor of Law and holds a BA (SA), BProc (SA), LLB) [WSU] and LLM International Law) (UCT). It would interest you to know that he completed his studies for the BProc degree while serving a long prison term for political activism. Justice Ntsebeza rose to prominence in the 1990’s as Commissioner and Head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Investigative Unit. He has acted on several occasions as a Judge of the High Court and of the Labour Court in SA. He practices as an advocate and holds Chambers in Sandton and Johannesburg as a Group Leader of the Sandton Chapter of the Pan African Bar Association of South Africa [PABASA]. In 2002, he was a Visiting Distinguished Professor of Law and Politics in the University of Connecticut, USA, where he taught credit courses in Politics at Storrs, and Human Rights and Reparations Law at UConn’s Law Faculty in Hartford. In 2004, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General to serve as a Commissioner on the UN International Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in Darfur, Sudan. He has published widely on a number of subjects, including human rights. He is a qualified and an accredited Arbitrator and Commercial Mediator. JUSTICE DENNIS DOMINIC ADJEI Judge JUSTICE DENNIS DOMINIC ADJEI Judge Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei is a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ghana. He has been elected as Judge of the African Court in July 2022 for a term of six years. He is one of the Nine- Member Advisory Committee of the International Criminal Court. Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei was elected as the Inns of Court and Advanced Legal Institute of the University of London Senior Judges Fellow for Common Law jurisdictions for 2022-23 academic year. He is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei attended University of Ghana and proceeded to the Ghana School of Law. He obtained an Executive Master of Public Administration from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. He further obtained Master of Laws in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of London. He also holds a Master of Laws in Judicial Studies from the Duke Law School, Duke University, North Carolina, United States of America. Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei is the Acting Director of the Judicial Training Institute of Ghana and held the substantive office from 2014-2019. He was the Dean, Faculty of Law, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration from January 2019 to August, 2020. The author is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. He is also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, Accra, Ghana, where he lectures Interpretation of Statutes and Deeds; and Land Law and Conveyancing. The author has written six textbooks namely: Constitutional Law of Ghana- Evolution, Theory and Practice (2020); Modern Approach to the Law of Interpretation in Ghana (3rd Edition, Reprinted, 2021); Criminal Procedure and Practice in Ghana (3rd Edition (2021); Land Law, Practice and Conveyancing in Ghana ( 3rd Edition, 2021); Contemporary Criminal Law in Ghana ( 3rd Edition, 2021), and The Essential Laws on Credit Creation and Registration of Security Interests. The author has also co-authored a textbook entitled “The Alternative Dispute Resolution – A Ghanaian Perspective.” The author was Knighted by the Holy Father, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to the Order of St Gregory the Great in 2005. JUSTICE DUNCAN GASWAGA Judge JUSTICE DUNCAN GASWAGA Judge Hon Justice Gaswaga is a national of the Republic of Uganda. He was elected Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in July 2024, for a six-year term. The Honorable Justice Gaswaga is a Judge of the High Court of the Republic of Uganda where he has headed Circuits and Divisions including the Executions and Baliliffs, and the Commercial Divisions for the last eleven (11) years. He is also attached to the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda which deals with international crimes. Justice Gaswaga was one of the four Judges that concluded the case of Uganda Vs Thomas Kwoyelo (a former abductee, and later, Lord’s Resistance Army [LRA] top Commander), charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was the first case of its kind on the African continent to be conducted under the complementarity principle of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Justice Gaswaga is also a Fellow of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Halifax, Canada and an international Resource Person in many areas of law. He is an inspirational speaker and offers career guidance to law students and young professionals internationally. Justice Gaswaga holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB, Hons), Dar-Es-Salaam University, Tanzania, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, LDC Uganda, a Master’s Degree (LLM) with Distinction in Human Rights Law, University of Pretoria, South Africa and Master’s Degree (LLM) in International Criminal Law, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Ohio, USA. His Lordship also holds a string of Diplomas and Certificates from Institutions in Africa, India and Europe. Justice Gaswaga was appointed the first Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Republic of Seychelles (2016 to 2021) and by the end of his tenure, (as per the Corruption perception index of Transparency International, 2021) Seychelles was the least corrupt Nation in Africa and ranking No.43 in the world Justice Gaswaga also served as an expatriate Judge of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Seychelles where he headed the Criminal Division and handled the most serious crimes including murder, terrorism, human and drug trafficking, and money laundering. He also had the rare opportunity of spearheading the adjudication of modern-day maritime piracy cases committed on the high seas off the coast of Somalia where he applied the universal jurisdiction principle to contribute to the orderly and lawful resolution of this novel problem thereby generating exceptional jurisprudence that is widely referred to. At the time, due to the breakdown of the state of Somalia, piracy had become the most challenging issue in international criminal law and security, and had significantly affected the safety of international maritime traffic and trade in the Indian Ocean. He has since published articles on the subject and also assisted in capacity building and effecting relevant law reforms in numerous jurisdictions. His Lordship was the ‘Distinguished Jurist in Residence’ at CWRU School of Law, USA (2012-2013) and a ‘Visiting Professional’ at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands. Prior to this, Justice Gaswaga was a Senior Magistrate in Seychelles, a practicing Advocate and Magistrate in Uganda and the first General Secretary of the East African Magistrates and Judges’ Association (EAMJA). Justice Gaswaga spends some of his free time empowering young professionals and also loves reading and travelling. #gs_team_area_1 .gs-team-filter-cats{text-align:center}
