By Francis H. Murray
The newly established Industrial and Social Security Court has started hearing in Sierra Leone on Saturday. The court was established by the judiciary last year to specifically investigate social security cases and hasten their trials.
On Saturday up to 15 cases were up for hearing in the court.
The two court rooms which are presided over by Magistrates Hannah Bonnie and Magistrate Mark Ngegba are scheduled to sit on Saturdays in Freetown, excluding national cleaning days. The court will seat in provincial areas on selected weekdays.
Public Relations Officer of the judiciary, Moses Lamin Kamara, said the court is designed to handle cases such as state institutions treading upon the rights of citizens and citizens reneging from their responsibilities to the state.
“Upon assuming office, the Honorable Chief Justice thought it fit to have an extension of the High Court, so he brought three (3) additional divisions of the High Court which are established by constitutional instrument No 4 of 2019,’’ Kamara said.
‘‘Also about a month ago, the C. J together with his international partners officially commissioned two buildings that will host Anti-Corruption Cases and another to host two magistrates to handle NASSIT. So today we officially announce that the court which used to handle these cases at Pademba Road has now been transferred to the new building by Siaka Stevens Street close to Bank of Sierra Leone,” Kamara told journalists.
Sierra Leone’s judiciary system is notoriously known for being slow, and hundreds of cases are clogged up in the system with very few judges to handle them. This move by the judiciary is way of prioritizing some category of cases.
According to Defence Lawyer, Ibrahim Macfoy, the formation of this court is a good idea because it helps the justice system to handle such matters speedily and to address employee and employer issues.
‘‘Although coming to court on Saturdays is challenging, especially with our official regalia being suit, justice should be treated seriously in the interest of the people. So, if this court has started, we are dedicated to make ourselves available to defend our clients and to ensure that they access the justice they deserve.”
Copyright © 2020 Politico Online
