NEGOTIATING TRUTH THROUGH OATHS TAKING IN SIERRA LEONE: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Author: Jotham Johnson Esq.

ABSTRACT

Oath taking is a truth telling mechanism and also serves as an accountability tool for the Justice system of the Formal and Informal legal frameworks in Sierra Leone. This debate as to whether oaths can be taken to be effective or relevant in this secular world is what this article investigates. Comparing the discourse not only among formal court officials, from the informal justice systems, and with people from more cultural backgrounds. Using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which are the textual analysis, social practice, and discursive approach, supported by Symbolic Interactionism Theory (SIT) and Critical Legal Theory-(CLT), the study explores how sacred language, ritual symbolism, and social hierarchies converge to shape justice discourses. Comparative analysis, text analysis, and narrative analysis also come in to make for a more nuanced understanding of oaths in the plural justice system in Sierra Leone. Drawing from 210 survey responses, 22 expert interviews, 12 focus group discussions, and six witness narratives, findings reveal that both systems are dependent on fear as a moral regulator but differ in terms of accessibility, gender inclusivity, and legitimacy. The formal judiciary privileges textual legality, while customary systems privilege embodied spirituality. The article calls for hybrid procedural reforms that integrate cultural authenticity with human rights. It also concludes that the decolonization of justice in Sierra Leone requires transforming compliance based on fear into culturally resonant accountability as the findings show culture more than religion or punishment are the most compelling factors when it comes to truth in oath taking across both systems.

Keywords: Oaths, Critical Discourse Analysis, Cultural Legitimacy, Human rights, Decolonization, Legal Pluralism

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