By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
Speedy trials for 335 accused persons arraigned before the courts for various criminal offences have been ordered by the Chief Justice, Babatunde Edwards.
Following the order, 11 special sessions of criminal trials of the high court of Sierra Leone are underway in Moyamba, Portloko, Sefadu and Kono in June this year as part of the judiciary’s commitment to ensure that justice is no longer delayed. Accordingly, community radio stations have been engaged to inform all accused persons on bail, witnesses and jurors to report at the various venues at the stipulated time. As the trials are in progress, 161 verdicts have been handed down during well attended court sessions.
It is hoped that this latest move by head of the judiciary would enable the accused persons to know their fate within a reasonable timeframe.
“These sessions are in line with the vision of the judiciary of Sierra Leone to ensure accessible, fair and expeditious trials for all in Sierra Leone,” the Chief Justice assured in a statement seen by Politico.
The accused persons are standing trial for felonious offences ranging from sexual penetration, wounding, wounding with intent, aggravated robbery and murder. The cases are being presided over by three judges of the high court under the supervision of justices Allan Halloway and Alusine Sesay of the Supreme Court as well as Ivan Sesay of the appeals court. These offences, by law, carry lengthy jail terms including capital punishment.
As law officers are prosecuting the said offences for the state, defense lawyers of Legal Aid Board Sierra Leone have been drawn in by the judiciary to provide legal representations for all accused persons to ensure that the rights of the accused persons are upheld and protected throughout the trials, the statement said. It noted that the representations will also assist the court to arrive at just and fair conclusions at the end of the trials.
The order for speedy trials is another recent move by Chief Justice Edwards in ensuring fairness to all those standing trials in the courts. Following his recent appointment to head the judiciary, Justice Edwards visited the Pa Demba Road Male Correctional Centre where he ordered the release of some of the longest serving inmates through habeas corpus applications by defense counsels.
The Chief Justice is also on record to have embarked on a mass transfer of magistrates from the Pa Demba Road Magistrates’ courts to other courts for the purpose of ensuring fair and speedy trials.
© 2019 Politico Online
