By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Children in detention at the Remand Homes in Freetown and Bo have, in a press release dated 26th June this year, called on the government for its immediate interventions to ensure speedy trials and provision of education for them in detention centres.
According to the release by Defence for Children International (DCI) the juveniles made this call in a meeting in the quest for justice actors, government officials and decision makers to interact with children that are said to be deprived of their liberty at the remand homes.
Representatives of key government institutions such as the Ministry of Justice, the Legal Aid Board, the Judiciary of Sierra Leone, and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other youth justice actors participated at the meeting. It however states that it was during those interactions and discussions between the children that are in conflict with the law and government officials that brought to light the status quo to the juveniles.
During that meeting, the children highlighted some of the challenges they face, among which are slow trials, lack of access to education for children in detention. They called for speedy development of a curriculum.
It also points out that the government should ensure they review the Child Rights Act, and put measures in place for the use of multiple alternatives to detention and options that can prevent unnecessary incarceration and criminal prosecution of children in conflict with the law.
Finally, the release notes how the children also urged the government to invest in civic education, life skills training and improve on restorative justice or mediation appropriate for children.
“On average between 25 to 30 children and 30 to 35 children are incarcerated at Remand Homes in Freetown and Bo respectively accused of various offences for which they have been charged. These children include those who are below the minimum age of criminal responsibility (14 years) according to the Child Rights Act of Sierra Leone. Some of these children have been in pre-trial detention for over two years,” the release reads in part.
It goes on to point out how the juveniles perceive education as their priority and that they are “worried” for missing classes indefinitely, which they believe would provide a chance for them to escape the “cycle of poverty and crimes.”
The release however, claims that the current remand system leaves the children idle, emphasising that their potentials are being wasted, and that they would continue to experience psychological trauma for being constantly locked up indefinitely against their “best” interest.
“International law provides that the use of detention for children should only be applied as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible time and urges states to exhaust alternatives to detention. Children in detention are excluded from the free quality education programme and not benefiting from the Radical Inclusion policy,” it adds.
The release further explains how the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mr. Mohamed Haji-Kella, had promised that they would provide access to justice for children which he said is a priority for their government, and that the voices of the children have been heard, promising their issues would be urgently looked into.
“He urged them to stay away from violence and focus on their rehabilitation to become good citizens and not to blame themselves for a mistake. The deputy Minister also reportedly encouraged DCI to ensure that the concerns of the children are taken into consideration when drafting the new Child Rights bill after reviewing the current Child Rights Act.
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