By MRCG
Following the Media Reform Coordinating Group’s community engagement meetings with resident stakeholders of the Mile 91 community, under the ongoing project “Engaging Media and Communities to Change the Narrative on Transitional Justice (TJ) Issues in Sierra Leone,” funded by the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF), the Honorable Chief Justice Komba Kamanda, today officially deployed a resident Magistrate and opened a Magistrate Court to serve Mile 91 and its environs.
In the community meetings, one of the most pressing needs of the community people was to have a sitting magistrate, as there had been a lack of access to justice in the community for years. The community stakeholders had continuously expressed concerns over the rate at which crimes were committed. They had also expressed concerns over the cost and constraints in attending court sittings outside the community.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report for Sierra Leone, published in 2004, was a major outcome of the country’s post-conflict transitional justice efforts after its brutal civil war. One of the central themes in the TRC’s findings and recommendations is access to justice, especially in the context of addressing the root causes of the conflict and promoting lasting peace and reconciliation.
At the opening of the refurbished Magistrate Court today in Mile 91, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, Member of Parliament (MP) representing Tonkolili District, thanked the MRCG for leading the advocacy and commended the Chief Justice for steps taken so far in reforming the judiciary system of Sierra Leone. He accounted that the Magistrate Court in Mile 91 was built in 2010, initially as circuit court, but stopped functioning around 2016, which had over the years, led to so many crimes in the community. As he noted that this deployment would save the people so much cost. He also called on the Chief Justice to think of a temporary detention center in the community.
The Paramount Chief, PC Bai Sheboreh Thelleh III, expressed joy as this historic event occurred during his reign. He called on all town chiefs and politicians to not influence the justice system. “If your family members is before the courts for whatever crimes they may have committed, do not influence the magistrate to boycott judicial proceedings. We have long prayed for justice, so let justice prevail at all levels,” the Paramount Chief stated.
MRCG’s Head of Programs, Augustine James, conveyed special appreciation on behalf of the organization’s National Coordinator, Dr. Francis Sowa, to the Chief Justice for not only responding to their letter, but taking swift actions to restore justice to the people of Mile 91. He told the gathering that when an organization advocates to government and institutions and they respond swiftly, especially on behalf of thousands of people, this gives joy to both the organization and their donors. He rounded up thanking the ATJLF for supporting the initiative and the people of Mile 91 for trusting the MRCG to lead the advocacy.
In his remarks, after appreciating the advocacy strategy of the MRCG, Honorable Chief Justice Komba Kamanda, told the people that deploying a resident Magistrate to Mile 91 is not just part of reforming the judiciary sector, but in accordance with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, which had recommended for access to justice at all levels. He noted that same initiative would be implemented in all major towns across the country under his leadership.
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