Dr. Chile Eboe-Osuji, a distinguished jurist hailing from Nigeria and Canada, has been appointed as a Judge to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC). According to a press statement by the CCJ, this independent body is tasked with the recruitment of judges and staff for the CCJ. Dr. Eboe-Osuji’s appointment comes in anticipation of the retirement of the Honourable Mr. Justice Andrew Burgess, scheduled for 11 April 2025.
With a reported background as an international legal expert, Dr. Eboe-Osuji served on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague from March 2012 until March 2018, during which he also held the position of President from March 2018 to March 2021. Before his tenure at the ICC, he was the Legal Advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, leading the preparation of amicus curiae briefs for both the European Court of Human Rights and the United States Supreme Court. He played a prominent role as the principal appeals counsel for the Prosecution in the prominent Charles Taylor Case at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and has held numerous significant roles at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, including Head of Chambers and Lead Prosecution Trial Counsel, shared the CCJ.
In addition to his judicial career, Dr. Eboe-Osuji has practiced law as a barrister in both Nigeria and Canada, where he has represented clients in various trial courts and appellate matters before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has also imparted his knowledge as an adjunct professor of international criminal law at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and has published extensively, including works like “International Law and Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts” and “Protecting Humanity (edited)”. Furthermore, he serves as the editor-in-chief of the “Nigerian Yearbook of International Law” and contributed as a legal expert to Nigeria’s delegation regarding the ICC’s Special Working Group on the Definition of the Crime of Aggression.
Dr. Eboe-Osuji was called to the Bar in Nigeria in 1986, and in Ontario and British Columbia in 1992. He holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam, an LLM from McGill University, and an LLB from the University of Calabar.
In announcing Dr. Eboe-Osuji’s appointment, the Chairman of the RJLSC and President of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, praised the independent and merit-based recruitment process that underpins the selection of judges for the Court.
He noted, “The RJLSC prides itself on a recruitment process that is both meritocratic and fiercely independent. Each appointment reflects our unwavering commitment to selecting individuals of the highest calibre based solely on their expertise, integrity, and dedication to justice. During the recruitment process, we received 26 applications from The United States of America, Canada, Nigeria, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, Sri Lanka, Saint Lucia, Fiji, Cameroon, Kenya, Pakistan, Australia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Of the applications received, five candidates, three males and two females, were shortlisted for further consideration and subsequently interviewed. This process ensures that our Court continues to be a beacon of fairness and excellence, characterised by the utmost professionalism and impartiality.”
Dr. Eboe-Osuji is anticipated to take his oath of office in April 2025.
