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Showing posts from February 12, 2016

The Legal Aid Board in concert with the Attorney General

The Legal Aid Board in concert with the Attorney General The Legal Aid Board in concert with the Attorney General has met with Civil Society organizations in Freetown. It was agreed that all Legal Aid Agencies should work hand in hand with the Board and the Office of the Attorney General to be able to create maximum impact in the judicial system. The Executive Director Mrs Claire Carlton-Hanciles said that the mandate of the Legal Aid Board is to bring Justice to the people at community level. She gave an insight to the formation of Citizens Advisory Bureaus in all wards in the country, to be championed by the Ward Councillor, and said that the Bureaus will be dealing with trivial matters in their communities to avoid overwhelming the police and the courts with such matters that could be dealt with at community level. The Attorney General called for total cooperation in the search for the symptoms of the problems in the judicial system, to be able to inject the correct

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

As a Lawyer who has practiced in Sierra Leone before joining the international tribunal, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, I have seen firsthand how accused persons had to endure countless adjournments and months on remand due to lack of legal advice and representation.

My experience working with the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board since its establishment in May 2015 has broadened my understanding of the depth of the challenges plaguing the formal and traditional justice systems.

I have visited overcrowded prisons and police cells around the country. I have seen many accused persons literally abandoned in prison either because they cannot secure a bail or have not been with an indictment. Some have spent more time in remand than the maximum sentence for the crimes they are alleged to have committed. I have seen victims of domestic violence, rape and discrimination on the basis of gender resort to divine intervention because they cannot afford the cost of accessing justice.

I have seen powerful self-styled local lawyers run the show in the local/traditional courts and in the process abuse the rights of people and the Local Court Act 2011.

We have engaged and canvassed the views of agencies in the justice sector, Parliamentarians and non-governmental organizations. The interest in and expectations of the organization are heartwarming but also breathtaking.

This is what drives our commitment to deliver on our mandate to make justice accessible to those who have been left out because they are poor. For a start, we will deploy Paralegals in Police Stations in the capital and the 149 chiefdoms in the country to monitor Local Courts to ensure their activities are consistent with national laws and international human rights standards. Also, we will hire 100 Lawyers to provide free legal services to our clients.

This is without doubt a tall order considering the organization is new and the resources at its disposal are far from being adequate. We are convinced with support from the government, donors and well-wishers we can make a world of difference in the lives of ordinary people and in the process contribute to restoring much needed confidence in the justice system.