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 antidote to effectively
clean up the system. Effective monitoring of released prisoners, rampant police
violation of people’s rights, and information shearing about the work of the
Board, and other Legal Aid operators, were the matters of serious concern.
Members of
the Rogbmgbe Traders have expressed their support for the formation of the
Trader Executive umbrella in Sierra Leone. They called the move, the
realization of a long awaited dream.
The Kissy
Dock Yard community leaders have bitterly complained about a businessman who has occupied
the land that government had given to them to build a market. The businessman,
they said, allegedly destroyed their stalls and parked over thirty trailer
Lorries on the land.
Meanwhile,
six people who were remanded at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre have been
discharged from various courts; five from the Ross Road High Court defended by Cecilia
Tucker, and presided over by Justice Alhaji Stevens, and one from the High
Court defended by Cheryl Blake, and presided over by Justice Margai. It could
be recalled that on Monday 8th of February, sixteen people were also
discharged at the Ross Road High Court.
It should be
noted that a discharge is ‘no bar to further prosecution.’ I can be given by a
court on an application from a defense council for ‘want of prosecution;’ that
is, either the Prosecution is unable or unwilling to proceed with the matter.
We as a Board,
advocate with the Courts in the interest of Justice, to discharge these matters
for want of prosecution. When the Prosecution is not able or unwilling to
proceed with a matter, it is unfair to hold someone indefinitely; it does not
serve the purpose of justice.
By Derek
Nat-George
PRO
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