By Alhaji Dauda
On the 12 and13 November, 2020 the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) held its Annual Conference at the Albertson Hotel in Kenema which was auspiciously graced by legal luminaries and personalities representing other affiliate bodies in order to deliberate on pertinent issues relating to the Association including its status quo, the challenges faced and how to chart the way forward.
During the last day of the two-day conference an election was conducted among its membership in order to have a New Executive in place that will steer the affairs of the Association until the next conference.
Emerging as the Bar Association Treasurer-Unopposed was Martina Egbenda, who is not only a resounding, charismatic and result-oriented Barrister and Solicitor at Law but also is currently the Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs Department at the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
In an exclusive interview with the newly elected Bar Association’s Treasurer, Martina Egbenda, she disclosed that she currently has eight years-experience in the legal practice with specialities in Legal research, project management, administration and Legal Advisory services.
She furthered that as a notable Legal Practitioner, she has got lots of experience in Civil as well as Criminal Litigation in the Superior Courts of Judicature in Sierra Leone and has led prosecutions and secured convictions in several matters for the State as well as gaining convictions in special Criminal sessions in the High Courts of Sierra Leone.
Martina pointed out that ,based on the compliments she so far received and the records she excelled in winning notable cases and also provided Legal advisory services to noteworthy institutions like the Sierra Leone Legal and Information Institute, Financial Intelligence Unit, Constitutional Review Committee and State Counsel Department, Ministry of Justice, Sierra Leone.
Sounding the views of some of her colleagues after the conference, most of them intimated that Martina has also distinguished herself by many remarkable achievements.
One of them revealed that during her time at the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), she was part of a team of experts who drafted the action plan for the National Money Laundering and Terrorism financial risk assessment.
“Whilst working for the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), Martina undertook a comparative research and analysis on other constitutions in the sub- region to ascertain how these laws can be adapted for our own laws here in Sierra Leone. The result of that wedged an independent chapter of Information and Communication which has been added in the abridged draft report of the proposed Constitution of Sierra Leone,” he expressed admiration for her brilliant contributions.
“Martina embodies a blend of an Administrator and a Legal Practitioner and many of us often applaud her for her multi-disciplinary qualities,” a Senior Legal personality stated adding how she has received a lot of accolades when she successfully implemented and managed diverse projects and programs on behalf of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone for different international organizations like the United Nations Development Programme UNDP, Open Society Initiative for West Africa OSIWA and UK- Sierra Leone Pro Bono Project.
She agreed that those projects have contributed immensely to the development of the Judiciary in Sierra Leone.
In November 2018, Martina was appointed by the Board of the National Revenue Authority as the Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs for the National Revenue Authority (NRA). In this role, she provides Legal services, makes proposal for effective legislation and enforcement of tax laws on behalf of the Authority.
Martina is a proud member of an array of professional associations in Sierra Leone. She is a member of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Bar Association Law Reporting Committee, Legal Access through Women Yarning for Equality Rights and Social Justice and a host of others. In her spare time, she loves reading and working with young girls.
Among the complimentary things that were said about this erudite legal practitioner was when one of her colleagues stated that regardless of her educational attainment and station in life, Martina is a mixer who rubs shoulders with people from different walks of life. “She is very approachable, down to earth but when it comes to having something done she will ensure that it is done perfectly and professionally,” she maintained, words that speak volumes of a great feminine personality who believes in advancing the good for humanity.
She furthered that Martina cuts across the old and new within the legal profession asserting that though she is young she finds it easier to work with senior and junior colleagues and is always willing to proffer solutions, recommendations and solutions whenever called upon. “She is indeed a role model whom many hold in high esteem,” she said with all amount of sincerity.
She holds a Masters of Law (LLM) in Comparative Constitutional Law from the Central European University (Budapest, Hungary), a Bachelor Degree in Law LLB (Hons.) Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Barrister at Law (BL) council of Legal Education, Sierra Leone Law School, a Certificate in Oil and Gas Exploration, Sierra Leone Civil service Training College and a host of others.
Credit: Owl Newspaper
