The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has commenced a two-week court session in Mattru Jong, Bonthe District in the South- ern Province of the country, presided over by Hon. Justice Abdulai M. Bangura (JSC), marking the start of the October High Court Criminal Session in the District.

The High Court Criminal Sessions is pro- vided for by the Criminal Procedure Act 1965, Act No. 32 of 1965, and aimed at taking the plea of accused persons committed for trial by Magistrates’ Court and those whose indictments were preferred with the consent in writing of a judge. The special sessions are held in places where there are no resident high court judges and look into pending as well as fresh matters.

Briefly admonishing litigants and jurors before the start of the session, Justice Bangura said that the law advocates for the rights of accused persons to free, fair, and timely justice.

He said these special sessions require the cooperation of all other players within the criminal justice system, including the law officers, the legal aid board, the police, and even jurors, whom he referred to as central to the progress of certain criminal matters. He added that it is not fair for people to be accused of committing an offense and not be tried within a reasonable timeframe as provided for by law. He emphasized the need to have all backlog cases cleared in the interest of justice.

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The special session in the district started with a total of seventy-four (74) cases, including murder, manslaughter, wounding with intent, sexual penetration, rape, house- breaking and larceny, robbery with aggravation, and conspiracy, among others. 36- year-old motorbike mechanic Amara Mbayo pleaded not guilty to the offense of sexual penetration of a child, contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act, upon his arraignment.

The state alleged that the accused on the 7th of July 2023 at Moyamba District engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a child under the age of 18. She is aged 7 years.

Accused Persons: Alpha Gobeh, Aruna Kallon, Mohamed Sheriff, Nabieu Bendu, Morrison Amara, and Karim Sheriff all pleaded guilty to various forms of larceny, while Amidu Sheku pleaded guilty to the offence of wounding with intent. The accused persons, Mannah Bockarie, Mussa Kargbo, and Alicious Momodu Mbayoh, pleaded guilty to the offense of sexual penetration; Munda Bangalie and Saidu Koroma pleaded guilty to the offense of fraudulent conversion; and Aruna Feika pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

The accused persons, Mannah Bockarie, Mussa Kargbo, and Alicious Momodu Mbayoh, pleaded guilty to the offense of sexual penetration; Munda Bangalie and Saidu Koroma pleaded guilty to the offense of fraudulent conversion; and Aruna Feika pleaded guilty to wounding with intent. The matters are being prosecuted by the State Counsel, Ballah Sesay, and the accused persons defended by Abu Kuntar Jawara from the Legal Aid Board.

The sessions continue next week with much progress anticipated to be made on the matters before the court.