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Showing posts from July 11, 2016

Legal Aid wins its First Acquittal from the Appeal Court of Sierra Leone

Legal Aid wins its First Acquittal from the Appeal Court of Sierra Leone A seventeen-year old boy Lamin Bockarie from Kenema has had his 15-year sentence for sexual penetration quashed after the Legal Aid Board appealed against his conviction. Lawyer Ivan Sesay of the Legal Aid Board made the case for appeal on Monday, July 4. He told the court that the maximum sentence of 15 years slammed on the boy is excessive and incompatible with the Children’s and Young Persons Act which provides a much lower sentence for juvenile offenders. He further noted that the High Court should have considered the fact that the boy is a first-time offender in handing down its sentence. He also told the court that the conviction is unjust, unrealistic and a nullity in law. He said the High Court did not consider the fact that the Magistrate Court was not properly constituted to preside over the matter. ‘The case should have been presided over by one Magistrate and two Justices of the Peace

Statistics

Court Activities– 4 th to 9 th July, 2016. Day Adult Juvenile Court Of Jurisdiction Total Male Female Male Female High Court Magistrate Court Juvenile Court Files Clients File(S) Client(S) File(S) Client(S) File(S) Client(S) Mon 4/7/2016 17 Nil Nil Nil 10 14 2 3 Nil NIL 12 17 Tue 5/7/2016 54 2 1 Nil 40 52 4 4 1 1 45 57 Wed 6/7/2016 18 Nil 2 Nil 6 7 6 11 2 2 14 20 Thur 7/7/2016 23 Nil

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.