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LEGAL AID BOARD

About the Legal Aid Board
The Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board (LAB) is an independent non-profit organization established by an Act of Parliament in May 2012. It comprised a Board and a Secretariat. The organization commenced operation in May 2015 following the establishment of a Secretariat which is responsible for the administration and management of the scheme. The Board’s priority is to serve the interests of low income earners by providing them with legal advice and representation. This is needed for fair trial and to ensure equal treatment before the law which is the single most important precondition for suspects, detainees and accused persons to be able to exercise their rights.
The lack of legal aid means a suspect or accused person awaiting trial or convict awaiting sentence will spend more time in detention because there is no lawyer to help apply for bail or prepare the case for trial.

Mandate of the Legal Aid Board
The mandate of LAB is to provide, administer, coordinate and monitor the provision of legal aid in civil and criminal matters. This involves the following:
Provide legal aid; determine the types of persons and cases for which Legal Aid may be granted, determine the circumstances in which contributions towards legal aid shall be paid by legally aided persons and how the contributions shall be circulated
Enter into cooperation agreements with legal practitioners, civil society and nongovernmental organisations university law clinics or law departments. Compile and publish information about the functions of the Board and other legal aid maybe granted
Cooperate with other bodies as it may determine for achieving its object
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