By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Executive Director, Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), Ibrahim Tommy, has expressed hope that the newly approved Acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone would make significant changes in the country’s judiciary as there were presently significant challenges facing the sector.
In a statement issued Monday to welcome Justice Valesius Thomas into office as the Acting Chief Justice, Tommy noted that the judiciary needed the collective efforts of all Sierra Leoneans to address the significant challenges that the institution was faced with.
According to the release, CARL was particularly concerned about challenges confronting the judiciary in respect of fair trial rights and access to justice. The organization also expressed concerns over the increase in prolonged pre-trial detention. It noted that the judiciary was seriously weighed down by delays in proceedings, due in part, to the scarcity of judicial officers.
While the circuit courts were being a useful stop-gap measure, the release stated, it was time for the judiciary to recruit and train more magistrates to fill in vacancies in various judicial districts, it added.
It also urged the new Chief Justice to scale up support to the primary justice sector by, among other things, expediting the effective implementation of the Local Courts Act 2011.
“CARL is gravely concerned that nearly four years after the law was enacted, the office of the Chief Justice has not recruited, trained and assigned chairpersons for the various local courts,” it stated.
It also brought to light unfavorable conditions of service and uncomfortable working environment of staff in the judiciary.
“All of these challenges only combine to undermine access to justice and the public image of the judiciary,” the statement went on. It assured that CARL would continue to compliment the efforts of the Sierra Leone Government, particularly the judiciary, in addressing those challenges. The civil society organization urged the Acting Chief Justice to put in place measures aimed at addressing the problems, especially those that had to do with judicial officers.
© Politico 10/02/15
