Section 31, Local Courts Act, 1963

(1) There shall be constituted a Local Appeals Division of the Supreme Court (which shall consist of a judge of the Supreme Court sitting with two Assessors selected by him from a list of experts in customary law drawn up by the Judicial Adviser) to which an appeal shall lie from decisions of the District Appeal Court in the following cases— (a) all cases governed by the general law where, if the case had been heard by a Magistrate at first instance, an appeal would lie to the Supreme Court; No. 20 Local Courts 1963 A 155 (b) in cases governed by customary law— (i) in criminal cases— (aa) as of right on any ground of appeal which involves a question of law alone; (bb) with the leave of the District Appeal Court or the Group Local Appeal Court on any ground of appeal which involves a question of fact (or mixed law and fact); (ii) in all civil cases. (2) Every appeal under subsection (1) shall be brought by a petition setting forth the grounds of appeal filed in the Registry of the Supreme Court within thirty days of the decision appealed from and in all other respects the procedure with respect to the appeal shall be governed by the same rules as if the decision appealed from had been that of a Magistrate's Court. (3) The Assessors shall advise the Judge on questions of customary law but the decision shall be vested exclusively in the Judge, who shall record the reasons for his decision. [Margin: Further Appeals.]