By Alimatu Jalloh
Freetown, February 18, 2025: The Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Lordship Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda, has assigned four High Court Justices to five district headquarter towns to expedite the trial of over 174 criminal cases. The districts include Kono, Kambia, Tonkolili, Koinadugu, and Pujehun.
The sessions commenced on the 17th of February 2025 in Koidu and Magburaka and are scheduled to conclude on the 1st of March 2025. This will be followed by sessions in Kambia, Pujehun, and Kabala, involving over 200 inmates.
Commenting on the crime statistics for the session, PRO 1, Mr. Moses Kamara, stated that unlike previous sessions, this one includes nineteen murder cases, with Kabala accounting for the highest number. Kono, on the other hand, is leading in cases of sexual penetration.
The Hon. Justice Augustine K. Musa, currently in Kono, will move to Kabala on the 27th of February. Hon. Justice Abu Bakarr Sannoh is currently presiding in Magburaka, while Hon. Justice Mohamed Bawoh will start the Kambia session on the 27th of February. Hon. Justice Banks-Kamara will be in Pujehun on the same date.
Addressing the issue of the limited number of judges, Mr. Kamara mentioned that the situation has been exacerbated by recent deaths and retirements of some judges. He added that efforts are underway to embark on a recruitment process to replace them.
“The present workload on Judges is beyond human understanding. However, the Hon. Chief Justice is making frantic efforts to judiciously utilize the limited number of Judges in order to uphold the mission and vision of the institution. The Chief Justice is pushing very hard to ensure that new judges are employed, especially at the High Court,” Mr. Kamara stated.
The judiciary’s proactive measures aim to ensure that justice is served promptly and efficiently, despite the challenges posed by the current shortage of judges.