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The Judiciary of Sierra Leone, led by Acting Chief Justice Nicolas N. C. Brown Marks, has established a new magistrate court in Kenema. This initiative aims to alleviate congestion in existing courts and expedite the trial process.
The newly inaugurated court, located at Court No. 3 in Kenema, officially opened on Monday, October 7, 2024. It is presided over by Justices of the Peace (JPs), Foday M.B. Koroma and Gregory J. Lahai. They bring their expertise to the bench, supported by Charles B. Morison as the court clerk, along with two prosecutors, PC 13536 Moseray Sylvester Alfred and PC 18818 Fatima Sorie.
The court also includes an officer from the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Sandy Lusanie, and is currently handling cases involving two inmates and one private criminal summons involving Mariana Sylvester and Hawa Alie, represented by defense counsel Lawyer Sumaila Bannie Yeilah Sesay.
In an exclusive interview, Sheku Kemoh Mansaray, the head of the registry in the Kenema High Court, emphasized the importance of reintroducing JP courts in the country.
He noted that this initiative will help ease the burden on regular magistrates by allowing the JP court to handle specific cases, such as abusive language, simple larceny, petty claims, public insults, provocations, and other public order offenses.
“The establishment of this court is a crucial step towards ensuring timely access to justice for the people of Kenema. By reducing the backlog of cases in higher courts, we can promote a more effective legal system that serves our community better,” Mansaray stated.
With this development, Kenema joins other districts in benefiting from enhanced judicial services, contributing to the broader objective of improving legal processes across Sierra Leone.
The community eagerly anticipates the positive impact of the new magistrate court in facilitating justice and resolving legal matters more efficiently.
