In a bid to improve access to justice and alleviate congestion within Correctional Centres nationwide, Sierra Leone’s Judiciary has announced the initiation of the third “Access to Justice through Judicial Week.”
This event, scheduled to run from August 28th to September 8th, 2023, aims to fast-track legal proceedings and clear pending cases.
To facilitate this ambitious endeavor, Chief Justice Honourable Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards has allocated a team of twenty-three (23) Judges across the country. This dedicated group of legal experts will handle a total of 802 cases during the designated period, with 441 cases earmarked for resolution in Freetown, and 361 cases distributed across the provinces.
Offenses encompass a broad spectrum of criminal activities, ranging from murder, robbery with aggravation, and sexual offenses to manslaughter, shopbreaking, and burglary.
In a notable effort to address outstanding cases, the initiative targets 189 instances where both accused individuals and victims have yet to be located. Among these, 85 cases pertain to sexual offenses. Such cases involve circumstances in which accused parties were released on bail, only to disappear along with their sureties, or where victims have chosen to compromise or withdraw their claims.
The assigned judges are committed to granting accused parties a fair hearing, aiming for prompt resolutions that ensure justice is served and incarceration is meted out as appropriate for trial inmates.
Speaking on the matter, Chief Justice Edwards highlighted the significance of timely justice delivery, acknowledging the administrative hurdles faced by the Judiciary. He emphasized the necessity of tackling the backlog of cases that have stalled due to a myriad of reasons.
The Access to Justice through Judicial Week offers an alternative avenue to address these challenges, ultimately easing congestion in Correctional Centres. The event is particularly crucial given the sustained high ratio of judges to the population.
Gratitude was expressed to the UNDP for its support in this endeavor, which underscores Sierra Leone’s commitment to enhancing its legal system’s efficiency and accessibility.
