Justice Richard Brunt Lussick is the new President of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (RSCSL). He was appointed on the 29th February 2024, for a period of two years. He was appointed to the RSCL by the United Nations in 2013.
Justice Lussick was a former trial judge of the Special Court for Sierra Leone from 2004 to 2012. He was presiding judge in the trial of Charles Taylor in 2012 when Mr Taylor was convicted and sentenced to 50 years imprisonment.
Justice Lussick was the 6th President of the United Nations Appeals Tribunal. He served in that tribunal from 2012 to 2019. From 1995 to 2000, he served as Chief Justice of the Republic of Kiribati. He was appointed to the Bench in Samoa in 1987 and held appointments to the District Court, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Land and Titles Court and as Acting Chief Justice. He also served as the Chairman of the Public Service Board of Appeal from 1987 to 1995. He was Vice President of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (Pacific Region) from 1997 to 2000. He had practised as a Barrister-at-law in Sydney, Australia, from 1973 to 1986, when he was appointed Parliamentary Counsel to Samoa.