James John Skinner
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James John Skinner (24 July 1923 – 21 October 2008) was an Irish-born Zambian politician and jurist. He was the first Minister of Justice of independent Zambia and the only White member of Zambia's first cabinet.[1] Following his time as a Zambian jurist, Skinner moved to neighbouring Malawi, where he was Chief Justice of Malawi from 1970 to 1985. His final judicial appointment was as a Social Security Commissioner in England from 1986 to 1996.
Skinner came from a family steeped in the law. His grandfather, James G. Skinner, was a solicitor in Mitchelstown, County Cork. His father William Skinner was also a solicitor and was appointed the County Registrar for Tipperary. His uncle, Leo Skinner, a solicitor, was also an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and was elected (1943 and 1944) to Dáil Éireann as a TD for the Cork North constituency and was appointed a District Court judge in 1966. His cousin, Geraldine Skinner, a barrister, became the legal adviser in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin and subsequently the Irish Ambassador to Luxembourg.[citation needed]
Early life
Skinner was born in July 1923 in Clonmel, Irish Free State,[2] to WJ Skinner, and Kathleen O'Donnell. He attended Clongowes Wood College prior to attending Trinity College Dublin. Following studying at Trinity College, Skinner was called to the King's Inns in 1946 and to the English Bar at Gray's Inn in 1950. He practised in the Leinster Circuit from 1946 to 1951.
Emigration to Northern Rhodesia and entrance to politics
In 1951, Skinner emigrated to Northern Rhodesia. He was called to the Bar of Northern Rhodesia in 1951. A defender of African rights, Skinner joined the mainly African United National Independence Party (UNIP) in 1960 and quickly became the party's legal advisor. Ostracized by most White residents of the colony, Skinner lost in his bid for a seat in the pre-independence parliament in the 1962 general election. Two years later in the first election following independence, he was elected to represent a constituency of Lusaka. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in Northern Rhodesia on 9 September 1964.[3] In 1965, he was honoured with the Grand Commander of Order of Menelik II award from Ethiopia, recognising his contributions to Zambia's independence. Skinner was a member of the first cabinet and the Attorney General of Zambia from independence until 1967, when he was appointed Justice Minister. In March 1969, he was appointed Chief Justice of Zambia.
Resignation
Skinner did not last long in his position as Chief Justice in Zambia. He resigned six months later in September 1969 following a clash with President Kenneth Kaunda over the sentencing of Portuguese soldiers from neighbouring Angola. The soldiers were caught on the Zambian side of the Angolan-Zambian border and were arrested. A fellow expatriate jurist, Ifor Evan, concluded the original arrest of the soldiers was "trivial" and dismissed the charges. When the issue was appealed to Skinner, he upheld Evan’s judgment. Kaunda, a long time friend of Skinner, attacked the White-dominated court for siding with the soldiers. Supporters of Kaunda stormed the court building following the ruling, attacking the Whites inside. Kaunda quickly apologised, but Evan and Skinner fled the country, with Skinner going on "indefinite sick leave".[4] A month later, he was replaced on the court by Brian Doyle, a fellow White Zambian.[1]
