Emmanuel R. Conteh is a Sierra Leonean and holds a Higher Teacher’s Certificate from the Northern Poly-technique. He is currently completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Management and Technology in Sierra Leone. From 2011 to 2016, Emmanuel worked as a Community-Based Paralegal with Timap for justice(a Sierra Leonean legal empowerment organization that is dedicated towards providing concrete and practical solutions to justices issues that affect the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable communities and individuals. He rose to the position of Senior Paralegal and has experience in advocacy, navigating authorities, mediation, and working with communities to facilitate collective actions on issues that affect their well-being. He joined the Legal Aid Board Sierra Leone as a Senior Paralegal and was made head and supervisor of Tonkolili District office based in Magburaka town. He was charged with the responsibility of working with Paralegals to ensure that persons coming in conflict with the law are given the necessary support during pre-trial or trail moments, this include tracing sureties, advocating for bail, providing legal education to detainees, inspection of detention sites and the health condition of inmates, where possible mediation is held between disputants on civil matters. Also communities are held to further educate the general public on certain laws, their rights, limitations, and obligations. He also advocate for the release of inmates at the police station, magistrate courts and local courts.
Emmanuel joined Namati in July 2022 as a Legal Empowerment Advocate and is currently supporting communities to use the power of the law and organizing to build their capacity and take leadership in seeking redress on their land and environmental issues that affect their communities. Emmanuel is also a former track and field athlete and he is currently the National Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA).