Freetown, Sierra Leone – As part of ongoing judicial reforms spearheaded by Chief Justice Komba Kamanda, Justice Alusine Sesay of the Supreme Court has acquitted and discharged 19 inmates from the Pademba Road Correctional Centre.
The releases were made during a special Prison Court session facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The initiative, aimed at decongesting correctional facilities and addressing prolonged judicial delays, involved the review of 115 cases. These included five cases with pending judgments, 33 High Court matters stalled due to repeated adjournments, and 35 similar cases lingering at the Magistrate Courts. The team also reviewed 10 life sentence cases, 32 convictions from the lower courts, 10 cases involving elderly inmates over 60 years old, and two individuals living with physical disabilities.
Highlighting the humanitarian aspect of the initiative, Justice Sesay emphasized the condition of aged inmates still held at the Male Correctional Facility. Medical assessments confirmed that many suffered from significant health issues, prompting their release. Among those acquitted on health and humanitarian grounds were:
* Abu Bakarr Kamara (66)
* Rev. James Sapato Fornah (71)
* Munda Lansana (76)
* Yusuf Abass (71)
* Lahai Shegbena (73)
Additionally, Justice Sesay ordered the immediate release of Albert Momoh, Alfred Sullay Momoh, John Junior Kamara, and 11 others who had already served considerable portions of their sentences.
One of the life sentence inmates, Alfred Sullay Momoh, appealed emotionally to the court, saying:
“My Lord, we are pleading for you to temper justice with mercy. We have spent half of our lives behind bars. We’ve been transformed and are confident in our ability to contribute meaningfully to national development if released.”
Justice Sesay acknowledged that the inmates in question had demonstrated good behavior during their incarceration and encouraged them to reintegrate into society as law-abiding and productive citizens.
On the issue of drug-related offenses, the judge maintained a firm stance, ruling that bail would not be granted in such cases. However, he instructed that all pending drug-related trials be fast-tracked by the Magistrate Courts. Similar urgency was also directed for cases with outstanding judgments.
The Prison Court initiative is part of a broader UNDP-supported justice reform drive focused on improving access to justice and addressing systemic delays within Sierra Leone’s legal system.
