By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Judges have started addressing cases in parts of the country under the Prison Court System that ensures cases addressed at Magistrate Court Level are reviewed.
Speaking to Politico, Public Relations Officer 2 of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone, Francis Hinga Murray explained that Sentences handed down by the magistrate court are looked at by the Judges to determine whether they are consistent with laws that govern such a court. Prolonged judgment and bail conditions are also reviewed and the Judges can set free inmates where necessary.
Sessions are ongoing inside the Correctional Centres at Mafanta,Kono,Makeni, Bo, Waterloo and Freetown.
Murray said the process has started with 104 cases being addressed in Mafanta, 74 Kono and 55 in Makeni presided over by Justice Alusine Sesay and Justice Monfred Sesay. He noted that Bo, Waterloo and Freetown would be next. Justice Alusine Sesay is dealing with cases in the North and Justice Monfred Sesay is in the South-East, he added.
Francis said the Prison Court process would last for a week and pointed out that it is not a continuation of the Judicial Week, which ended two weeks ago.
He said the judges sit in the prison court instead of the conventional Law Court, the Public Relations Officer 2 said it is not the regular court and explained that convicted persons during the ongoing process could be brought to the court if necessary.
"There are lawyers that are part of the process to ensure that both sides are represented," Murray said, adding that human right activists and Legal Aid-Board officials are there too to represent inmates.
The Prison Court is a process that began in 2022 as a result of the initiative by Chief Justice Babatunde Edwards for inmates to access justice.
This year’s proceedings started on 21st of September, and will end on 28th September 2023.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (25/09/23)
