By Mustapha Sesay
The director of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board (LAB) Claire Carton Hancile has promised free legal aid to the less privileged and disadvantage persons in the country.
Mrs Hancile said Wednesday in parliament that they would ensure that all those who needed legal assistance get it as part of the mandate of the board. She was addressing the Legislative Committee with a Power Point presentation ahead of the planned commencement of their operations.
The Legal Act 2012 established the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board which is an independent organ with an objective of providing legal aid nationwide. But it has not been functional since then and one of the reasons attributed to this is finance.
According to Hancile, they intended to take off in Freetown. She spoke about plans to train paralegal personnel who would be positioned in each district across the country to support the LAB to ensure those who deserve the service get it.
Mobile clinics will also be opened to provide advice to citizens on the possibility of accessing assistance, she said.
Generally, the LAB is mandated to provide, administer, coordinate and monitor the provision of legal aid in civil and criminal matters.
The vision of the LAB is “to create a networking and collaborative organisation that is flexible and responsive to eligible low-income individual and groups,” said Hancile.
She stressed that legal aid was a pivotal element of a fair and humane and efficient criminal justice system that was based on the rule of law. She said international law and standards were clear on the fact that the states should ensure a comprehensive legal aid system that is accessible, effective, sustainable and credible so that justice is accessed by all.
This development comes as calls for reform in the justice delivery system in Sierra Leone grow. Financial and other issues have been blamed for the existence of backlog of cases in courts which have seen hundreds, if not thousands of Sierra Leoneans languish in jail for years without trial.
The LAB director`s presentation indicated similar financial difficulties as hindering their efforts. She informed the legislative committee that such a project needed financial support and that they were having challenge in that direction.
She urged the House to stand by her institution in order for the project to succeed.
Majority leader Ibrahim Bundu described the idea as a “laudable venture” and advised that the LAB embarked on educating the citizenry about its activities.
Bundu said local court chairmen also needed to be educated for an informed justice system to prevail.
Another MP Daniel Koroma observed that one paralegal per district was grossly inadequate owning to the fact there were districts that were so big for one person to fully cover.
(C) Politico 09/07/15
