The Christian Lawyers Centre, also known as LEGAL LINK in this piece, has expressed concern over the prolonged detention of the 2018 flag-bearer of the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray who is standing trial on allegations of sexually penetrating a 15-year-old girl in Kono district.
Kamarainba Mansaray reported to the police on July 2020, and has been in detention since.
“We strongly aver that the prolonged detention of Kamarainba by the court, over an alleged offence that is bailable; and which has ultimately served as a precursor to his loss of political leadership in his Alliance Democratic Party, amounts to a clear violation of fair trial rights of an accused person guaranteed under section 23 (4) of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone.” Legal Link said in a statement on January 31, 2021.
Legal Link said that if bail had been granted to him, it is certain that such outright stripping of his leadership title by the Political Parties Registration Commission may not have arisen in the first place, adding that he would have had, at the very least, an opportunity to defend himself in person.
“We therefore call on the learned Judge to do the needful if not for any other reason but to save the judiciary from been misconstrued as “complicit” of a political system that is anathematic to democratic pluralism, multi- partyism and constructive criticisms within the state,” legal link.
The statement of Legal Link came after Kamarainba threatened not to appear before the Sexual Model Court for trial recently during hearing before Justice Samuel O. Taylor in Freetown.
Kamarainba made reference to the just concluded January 2021 criminal Call over where nine persons accused of sexual penetration had been admitted to bail by the presiding Judge.
He also raised the issue of the decision by the Political Parties Registration Commission to hand-over his registered political party (ADP) to his deputy.
In a desperate and angry mood, Kamarainba threatened not to ever appear for trial, and asked the court to take any decision it chooses.
Christian Lawyers Centre (LEGAL LINK) is a non – profit legal advocacy group comprising of lawyers, law students and human right activists that seek to defend the rights of religious communities and vulnerable groups in Sierra Leone.
By Sallieu S. Kanu
02/02/2021. ISSUE NO: 7993