Richard Banda
Encyclopedia
The Honorable Justice Richard Banda, SC is a Malawian barrister at law and athlete. He was born in the Northern part of Malawi. He is a judge and former Chief Justice
of Malawi and Swaziland and Minister of Justice in Malawi. He was president of Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association and Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal. As a sportsman he is a track and field athlete and soccer player. in the Malawi High Court. He was a Malawi chief Justice until 2002. He is now in private practice He is lso the spouse of the vice President of Malawi, Joyce Banda
.
. As a track and field athlete, he represented Malawi in the High Jump. He later became the President of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association of Malawi.
in July 1966. He then worked with the Malawi Government Legal Service until 1970 in Malawi. He was appointed the Director of Public Prosecution by the President of Malawi Kamuzu Banda and later served as acting Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice. In April 1972 he was appointed Attorney General and became the first Malawian to be created Senior Counsel. He worked in these two roles until 1974 when he became Minister of Justice and Attorney General and was also responsible for the Portfolio of Local Government until his resignation in 1976. In 1980, he re entered the Judicial Service to fill the newly created office of Chief Resident Magistrate. In November 1980 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court and Supreme Court of Malawi. In 1992 he was appointed as the first black Chief Justice of Malawi until 2002.
He was the President of the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association (CMJA) from 2000-2003.
He was the Chief Justice of Swaziland
. He spoke against corruption and backlogs in the Swaziland Criminal Justice System. He was succeeded by Michael Mathealira Ramolibeli after he retired due to his health.
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Malawi and Swaziland and Minister of Justice in Malawi. He was president of Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association and Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal. As a sportsman he is a track and field athlete and soccer player. in the Malawi High Court. He was a Malawi chief Justice until 2002. He is now in private practice He is lso the spouse of the vice President of Malawi, Joyce Banda
Joyce Banda
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian educator, grassroots gender rights activist turned politician who has been Vice-President of Malawi since May 2009. She is Malawi's first female vice president. She had previous posts as a Member of Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for...
.
Athletic career
Banda played soccer for Malawi. He was the captain of the Malawi National Team, "The Malawi Flames" and was later President of the Football Association of MalawiFootball Association of Malawi
The Football Association of Malawi is the governing body controlling the sport of football in the central African country of Malawi. The Association is affiliated to the Confederation of African Football, FIFA and COSAFA.-History:...
. As a track and field athlete, he represented Malawi in the High Jump. He later became the President of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association of Malawi.
Legal career
Banda, SC was called to the Bar by the Honorable Society of Gray's InnGray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in July 1966. He then worked with the Malawi Government Legal Service until 1970 in Malawi. He was appointed the Director of Public Prosecution by the President of Malawi Kamuzu Banda and later served as acting Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice. In April 1972 he was appointed Attorney General and became the first Malawian to be created Senior Counsel. He worked in these two roles until 1974 when he became Minister of Justice and Attorney General and was also responsible for the Portfolio of Local Government until his resignation in 1976. In 1980, he re entered the Judicial Service to fill the newly created office of Chief Resident Magistrate. In November 1980 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court and Supreme Court of Malawi. In 1992 he was appointed as the first black Chief Justice of Malawi until 2002.
He was the President of the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association (CMJA) from 2000-2003.
He was the Chief Justice of Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. He spoke against corruption and backlogs in the Swaziland Criminal Justice System. He was succeeded by Michael Mathealira Ramolibeli after he retired due to his health.
Honors and Awards
- Chairman of African Parks (Majete), 2003 - 2007
- President - Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal
- President -Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association (CMJA), 2000–2003
- Honorary Life Fellow - Society of Advanced Legal Studies (constituent organization of the University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
). - Honorary Master of the Bench - Honourable Society of Gray's Inn.