**The Law Reform Commission Act, 1975** [Margin: Short title.]

A41 SIGNED this *15th* day of *September, 1975.* SIAKA STEVENS, *President.* [Handwritten: Repealed by Decree no 17 of 1994] (LS) No. 12 [Coat of Arms: UNITY FREEDOM JUSTICE] 1975 Sierra Leone **The Law Reform Commission Act, 1975** [Margin: Short title.] **Being an Act to provide for the establishment of a Permanent Law Reform Commission in Sierra Leone for the purpose of promoting the reform of the Laws of Sierra Leone to make provision for the Commission's constitution and functions and for connected purposes.** [*2nd October, 1975.*] [Margin: Date of commencement.] BE IT ENACTED by the President and Members of Parliament in this present Parliament assembled, as follows:— **1.** (1) For the purpose of promoting the reform of the Laws of Sierra Leone there shall be established a permanent Commission to be known as the Law Reform Commission (hereinafter referred to as "the Commission"). [Margin: Establishment and constitution of the Law Reform Commission.] 42 No. 12 *Law Reform Commission* 1975 (2) The Commission shall consist of— (*a*) a Chairman who shall be a person who is qualified to hold the highest judicial office, and (*b*) not less than six other members of whom at least one each shall be selected from the University of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Bar Association and the Judiciary, respectively appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Attorney-General. (3) Any person appointed to be a Commissioner shall be a Sierra Leonean who appears to the President upon the recommendation of the Attorney-General to be suitably qualified by the holding of judicial office or by not less than seven years experience either as a barrister and solicitor or as a teacher of law in a University. (4) (*a*) Any person appointed to be a Commissioner shall be appointed for an initial period of three years and any such person shall be eligible for re-appointment. (*b*) Any person appointed to be a Commissioner shall be subject to such conditions as may be determined by the President upon the recommendation of the Attorney-General. (*c*) Any person appointed to be a Commissioner who holds judicial office or any other office shall not be required to relinquish that office by virtue only of his position as a member of the Commission. (*d*) Any member of the Commission may resign his office by giving at least three months' written notice to the President. The member resigning shall also send a copy of such notice to the Attorney-General. **2.** (1) The Commission shall take and keep under review all the law, both statutory and otherwise, from time to time in force in Sierra Leone for the purpose of reforming, developing, consolidating and codifying such law. [Margin: [illegible]uties and [illegible]nctions of [illegible]e Commis-[illegible]on.] (2) The Commission shall in the process of reforming, developing, consolidating and codifying such law make recommendations to the Attorney-General for— (*a*) eliminating anomalies found therein; (*b*) repealing obsolete and outdated enactments; (*c*) consolidating enactments; No. 12 *Law Reform Commission* 1975 A 43 (*d*) introducing and including new areas of law; (*e*) generally modernising and bringing the law up to date. (3) The Commission shall make an annual report on its proceedings to the Attorney-General, who shall lay the report before Parliament with such comments (if any) as he thinks fit. **3.** The Commission may— [Margin: Powers of the Commission.] (*a*) receive and consider any proposal for reform of the law which may be made or referred to it; (*b*) prepare and present from time to time to the Attorney-General programmes for the examination of any branch of the law with a view to drafting recommendations for its reform including recommendations as to the manner in which such examination shall be carried out; (*c*) undertake, pursuant to any such recommendation and with the approval of the Attorney-General— (i) the examination of any branch of the law; (ii) the formulation, by means of draft Bills or otherwise, of any proposal for the reform of the law; (*d*) prepare at the request of the Attorney-General and for his approval comprehensive programmes for consolidation of the law and revision of Statute Law; (*e*) draft Bills pursuant to any programme under paragraphs (*c*) and (*d*) for the approval of the Attorney-General; (*f*) provide, at the request of the Attorney-General, any advice or opinion concerning the work of the Commission that the Attorney-General may require; (*g*) appoint or empanel committees or sub-committees, whether from among members of the Commission or from among persons outside the Commission, to study in detail and make recommendations to the Commission on any legal field of study in which such persons may have specialised or expert knowledge. **4.** (1) There shall be set up a Secretariat which shall comprise a Secretary and such staff as the Commission may require. [Margin: Secretary and Administrative Officers of the Commission.] [illegible] 44 No. 12 Law Reform Commission 1975 (2) The Secretary to the Commission shall be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Attorney-General, from among barristers and solicitors entitled to practise in Sierra Leone and have been so entitled for at least seven years. (3) The Secretary to the Commission shall be the administrative head of the Secretariat and shall be assisted in the discharge of his duties by such persons as shall be appointed to the Secretariat by the Public Service Commission. (4) The Secretary to the Commission and the staff of the Secretariat shall be full-time public officers. [Margin: [illegible]emunera-[illegible]on of Com-[illegible]issioners [illegible]nd expenses [illegible] the Com-[illegible]ission.]

(1) There shall be paid to the members of the Commission, and to such persons as may be appointed to serve in committees and sub-committees as provided for under paragraph (g) of section 3 who are not Commissioners, such salaries or remuneration as may be determined by the President. (2) The salaries or remuneration of the Commissioners, and the expenses of the Commission, including the salaries or remuneration of employees of the Commission, shall be a charge upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund. [Margin: [illegible]ec[illegible]rds and [illegible]ccounts of [illegible]e Com-[illegible]ission.]

(a) a register containing the names and addresses of all members of the Commission including employee members of the Commission; (b) a minute book recording the minutes of any sittings or meetings of the Commission; (c) proper books of accounts; (d) proper records of the work and activities of the Commission; and (e) such other records or particulars with respect to the Commission as the Commission may deem fit. (2) The books of accounts and records connected therewith shall be in such form as the Director of Audit may approve. [Margin: Powers to [illegible] make Rules.]

The Commission, with the approval of the [illegible]-General, may make Rules and Regulations [illegible] purposes [illegible] No 12 Law Reform Commission 1975 A 45 (a) determining when a quorum shall be formed; and how any person shall be appointed to act in the absence of the Chairman; (b) regulating and prescribing the procedure and the practice to be followed at sittings or meetings of the Commission; (c) regulating the manner in which proposals for reform may be received and dealt with by the Commission; (d) regulating the manner in which Bills pursuant to any programme drawn up by the Commission may be drafted and presented; (e) prescribing the sittings and vacations of the Commission; (f) prescribing forms of registers, record books entries and accounts; (g) providing generally for the better carrying out of the functions of the Commission. [Margin: Power to revoke Appointment.]

The President shall have power to revoke the appointment of any member of the Commission upon the recommendation of the Attorney-General for good cause shown. Passed in Parliament this 25th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy-five. M. MUNU, Clerk of Parliament. THIS PRINTED IMPRESSION has been carefully compared by me with the Bill which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correctly printed copy of the said Bill. M. MUNU,