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Legal Aid Director threatens action against police

Legal Aid Director threatens action against police As the Legal Aid Board prepares to launch the ‘Scaling Up Access to Justice Leaving No One Behind’ campaign on Thursday, September 8, the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles has issued a stern warning to bad eggs in the Sierra Leone Police that keeping suspects in cells more than the time prescribed by law will not been tolerated. According to Ms. Carlton-Hanciles all such matters will henceforth be taken up with the Inspector General of Police and the Complaints Discipline and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) of the Sierra Leone Police. ‘We will start the campaign in police stations across the country because we know that bad eggs in the police allow themselves to be used to detain suspects especially the youths unnecessarily,’ Carlton-Hanciles said. ‘I have had reason to call police officers to demand an explanation regarding the detention of suspects and I have been shock

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.