Section 96: Solicitor-General.

(1) There shall be a Solicitor-General whose office shall he a public office. (2) The Solicitor-General shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and he shall, before assuming the functions of his office, take and subscribe to the Oath of Allegiance as set out in the Third Schedule to this Constitution. (3) A person shall not be qualified to hold or act in the office of Solicitor-General unless he is qualified for appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. (4) The Solicitor-General shall be the principal assistant to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. (5) The Solicitor-General shall have audience in all Courts in Sierra Leone except Local Courts. (6) The Solicitor-General shall in all matters including his powers under this Constitution or any other law be subject to the general or special direction of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. (7) Subject to the provisions of this Section a person holding the office of Solicitor-General shall vacate his office when he attains the age of 62 years. (8) If the office of Solicitor-General is vacant or the holder of that office is for any reason unable to perform the functions thereof, a person qualified for appointment to that office may be appointed to act therein, and any person so appointed shall subject to the provisions of subsection (7) and subsections (8) to (14) (inclusive) of this Section, continue to act until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of the office of Solicitor-General or until the person holding that office has resumed those functions. (9) The Solicitor-General may be removed from office only for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misbehaviour and shall not be so removed except in accordance with the provisions of this Section. (10) The Solicitor-General shall he removed from office by the President if the question of his removal from office has been referred to a tribunal appointed under subsection (11) of this Section and the tribunal has recommended to the President that he ought to be removed from office for inability as aforesaid or for misbehaviour. (11) If the First Vice-President represents to the President that the question of removing the Solicitor -General from office for inability as aforesaid or for misbehaviour ought to be investigated then— a) the President acting in consultation with the First Vice-President shall appoint a tribunal which shall consist of a Chairman and not less than half of the other members being persons who hold or have held office as a Judge of the High Court, or Justice of the Appeal Court and b) that tribunal shall enquire into the matter and report on the facts thereof to the President and recommend to the President whether the Solicitor-General ought to be removed from office for inability as aforesaid or for misbehaviour. (12) If the question of removing the Solicitor-General from office has been referred to a tribunal under subsection (10) of this Section, the President, may suspend the Solicitor-General from performing the functions of his office, and any such suspension may at any time be revoked by the President, acting in consultation with the First Vice- President, and shall in any case cease to have effect if the tribunal recommends to the President that the Solicitor- General shall not be removed from office. Director of Public