Cherno Jallow

Cherno Sulayman Jallow (born 15 November 1962) is a Gambian lawyer and judge who serves as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia. He previously served as Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands from 1999 to 2007.

Early life and education

Jallow was born in the village of Old Yundum, Kombo North. His father was from Old Yundum too, with his mother from Brufut. When he had to be registered for school, he moved in with his grandparents in Brufut as they lived closer to a primary school. In Brufut, he regularly attended Quranic school under the teacher of his grandfather. After primary school, he gained admission to Armitage High School in Janjanbureh, studying there from 1975 to 1980, and graduating with O-Levels. He then attended Saint Augustine's High School in Banjul for two years, graduating with A-Levels in 1982.

He worked as a teacher at Sukuta Technical School in the intervening period before he went to study law at the International Islamic University Malaysia from 1984 to 1988, graduating with a second class upper. He went on to further studies, completing a Certificate in Legislative Drafting at the University of the West Indies on Barbados in 1989, and completed a master's degree there in Legislative Drafting and Public Law in 1994. Jallow was appointed as a Queen's Counsel (QC) of the British Virgin Islands bar in 2007, although he is not admitted to practice as a lawyer in the jurisdiction, as the Attorney General is exempt from admission requirements that apply to other lawyers in the territory. Jallow served as chairman of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force for its 2012 to 2013 term. In September 2015, he was also appointed to the BVI International Arbitration Centre Board.

Supreme Court justice

Jallow was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia on 28 April 2017 by President Adama Barrow.

Constitutional Review Commission

Justice Jallow was designated Chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission by the Chief Justice of the Republic of The Gambia, Hon. Hassan B Jallow, and he took up the appointment in March, 2018. The Commission comprises ten other commissioners and it is tasked to review the current Constitution of The Gambia with a view to drafting a new one.