On September 9, 2025, His Excellency Desmond Babatunde Edwards, Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone, presented his Letter of Credence to President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin, the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Ireland. Following his appointment late last year, Ambassador Edwards’ diplomatic mission in Dublin began officially with the presentation ceremony.
Ambassador Edwards was accompanied to Áras an Uachtaráin by his wife, Mrs. Susan Edwards, two sons, Emmanuel and Isaac Edwards, and Mr. Tamba Juana, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The delegation’s arrival was witnessed by Irish officials and members of the diplomatic corps, highlighting Sierra Leone’s warm and formal relations with Ireland.
The 1 Brigade Artillery Regiment of Collins Barracks, County Cork, provided a Guard of Honour under Lieutenant David Groome’s command. Second Lieutenant Tiernan Mahon was the ceremony’s Flag Officer, and Captain Tom Kelly led the No. 1 Army Band from Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin. The military contingents and band enhanced the ceremonial presentation of credentials at the Áras.
Ambassador Edwards’ appointment to Dublin was announced on December 16, 2024. After a long and distinguished career in Sierra Leone’s judiciary and public service, he joins the post. He was Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone from December 19, 2018, to December 19, 2023, presiding over the country’s highest court and shaping jurisprudence. His legal career has spanned more than three decades, beginning with his call to the Bar on December 20, 1990, and he is still regarded as one of the most senior legal luminaries to have graduated from Sierra Leone Law School.
Justice Edwards graduated from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB, Hons) in 1989. He then pursued advanced studies, earning an LLM in International Dispute Resolution from the University of London and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from IPAM University in Sierra Leone. Early in his career, he stood out as the first winner of the Criminal Procedure Prize at his Call Ceremony, and he has been honoured for his contributions to legal education and access to justice across the continent.
Following his call and pupilage, Edwards practised law in Sierra Leone’s courts before moving into public administration as Deputy Town Clerk at Freetown City Council, eventually becoming Town Clerk and Chief Executive from 1998 to 2001. He went back into private practice for a few years before joining the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) in 2004 as the first head of prosecutions and litigations. On October 10, 2006, he was appointed as a High Court Judge; he was promoted to the Court of Appeal in 2015 and the Supreme Court in 2018.
Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards was honoured with the African Bar Association’s 2023 African Bar Medal of Merit in Leadership for his leadership and dedication to legal development. His tenure as Ambassador in Dublin is expected to build on his previous public service record and strengthen Sierra Leone-Ireland relations in the diplomatic, legal, and developmental spheres.
