The Caribbean Court of Justice Has A New Judge

Dr. Chile Eboe-Osuji, an internationally renowned jurist from Nigeria and Canada, has been appointed as a judge to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). His appointment follows the upcoming retirement of the Justice Andrew Burgess, who will retire on April 11, 2025.

According to the CCJ, Dr. Eboe-Osuji brings with him extensive legal experience, having served as a Judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague from 2012 to 2018, where he was later appointed as its President from 2018 to 2021. Prior to his tenure at the ICC, he worked as the Legal Advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, contributing to amicus curiae submissions to the European Court of Human Rights and the U.S. Supreme Court. The CCJ says he also played a pivotal role as principal appeals counsel for the prosecution in the Charles Taylor case at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and held several significant positions at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Dr. Eboe-Osuji has been a practicing barrister in both Nigeria and Canada, where he appeared before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He is also an academic, having taught international criminal law at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Eboe-Osuji has an extensive publication record, including books such as International Law and Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts and Protecting Humanity, and he serves as the editor-in-chief of the Nigerian Yearbook of International Law.

A highly accomplished scholar, Dr. Eboe-Osuji holds a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam, an LLM from McGill University, and an LLB from the University of Calabar. He was called to the bar in Nigeria (1986) and in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada (1992).

The appointment of Dr. Eboe-Osuji follows a rigorous and independent recruitment process overseen by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC). The Chairman of the RJLSC and President of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, highlighted the merit-based nature of the process, which saw 26 applications from countries such as the USA, Canada, Nigeria, and several Caribbean nations. After thorough consideration, five candidates were shortlisted, and Dr. Eboe-Osuji was selected for the position.