The Legal Aid Board (LAB) has provided representation to 85 indigent accused persons including one juvenile arraigned before the Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Nickolas Browne-Marke at the just concluded September Criminal Session/Call Over of the High Court held between Tuesday 17 September and Monday 30 September 2024 at the Freetown High Court, at Siaka Stevens Street, in Freetown.

The 85 indigent accused persons and 19 others make up a total of 104 whose matters were heard at the Call-over. Ten of the 19 accused persons were represented by private counsels while nine were absent.

The beneficiaries were indicted on multiple offences ranging from conspiracy to defraud, to murder, larceny and burglary, wounding with intent, robbery, robbery with aggravation, assault with intent to rob, shop breaking and larceny, larceny from a person and fraudulent conversion among others.

From the 85 accused persons represented by the Board, 34 pleaded guilty and were sentenced to various prison terms including time served, 11 were granted bail and three were discharged for want of prosecution.

Among those sentenced to time spent were Amara Sahr; Foday Sillah; Malikie Kallay; Idrissa Kamara and Nabieu Bangura. The latter was arrested on 20 February 2024 at Tokeh for larceny of cattle.

Speaking to some of those released in Freetown, the Executive Director of the Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, admonished them to be law abiding, seek redress through structura in the community and focus on rebuilding their lives.

She warned them against resorting to crime in the name of fighting for survival. She urged them to go back to their communities and be good contributors.

The accused persons were represented by Legal Aid Counsels: Cecilia Tucker; Ibrahim Samba; Randy Bangura; Morrison Karimu; Ibrahim Bangura; Cyril Taylor-Younge; Abraham Kargbo; Mustapha Dauda, and Olu V. Garber.

In another development, the Board secured the release of four accused persons in separate court sittings in Moyamba. Three were released at the High Court presided over by Justice Moody, while one was released at the Moyamba Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate Santigie Bangura.

The clients included Augustine Bargoria who was released on 18 September and Abu Bakarr
Koroma, Gabriel Monrovia and Fatmata Conteh on 26 September 2024.

The accused persons were represented by Legal Aid Counsel A.K Jawara.