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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 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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