By Politico staff writer
President Julius Maada Bio has appended his signature to the bill that finally abolished the death penalty from Sierra Leone’s Law books. The historic event took place at State House on Friday 8th October 2021, witnessed by dignitaries including members of the diplomatic corps in the country.
The President affirmed: “We should not; we shall not; and we will never again execute any person in this sovereign republic” noting that a civilized nation should not indulge in such an act. “The state has absolutely no obligation to undertake judicial killings of its own citizens in order to instill law and order or for political gain”.
He spoke on the cruelty involved in the act of taking one’s life by hanging or firing squad, referring to them as “inhumane and degrading”, and vowed such acts will no longer exist in Sierra Leone.
President Bio recalled one of the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “Respect for human dignity and human rights must begin with respect for life. Everyone has the right to life. A society that accords the highest respect for human life is unlikely to turn on itself”. He spoke of how the commission further recommended that Parliament repeal all laws that authorized capital punishment in the country.
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to upholding good governance, justice, promoting and protecting lives and the rights of every citizen.
Chief Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards assured the president that the judiciary under his watch will completely apply the abolished Death Penalty Act of 2021. He said Sierra Leone joins over 144 countries that had abolished the law and practice of executing people.
In her statement, the British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone Lisa Chesney MBS said the UK supported the government in every step for the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone.
The High Commissioner praised President Bio for making what she referred to as “a bold and powerful statement both here at home, and to the international community – that Sierra Leone advocates a rule-based international system, founded on the principle of universal and inalienable rights for all citizens”. She noted the government did this at a time when the whole world’s democratic processes and rule of law are under pressure.
The bill which was laid in parliament in July fueled a heated debate amongst Members of Parliament and the general public. Some had argued expunging the death penalty from the law books would embolden people to commit crimes such as murder and robbery with aggravation, and cause more grief to families of those murdered knowing the death penalty won’t be meted out to offenders.
However, Parliament reached an agreement and unanimously passed the bill. The laws abolished are Murder under the Offences against the Persons Act 1861, Robbery with Aggravation under Section 23 of the Larceny Act, 1916, Mutiny under the Sierra Leone Military Forces Act, 1961 and the Law of Treason under the Treason and State Offences Act.
Convicted persons could now face a jail term of not less than 30 years or life imprisonment for those crimes that had carried the death penalty before.
Copyright © Politico Online 11/10/21
