By: Sahr J. Bangah
The
persistence absence of the jurors in the high Court trials in Makeni, Northern
Judicial District, has potentially undermined the frantic efforts of the
presiding High Court Judge, Justice Unisa Kamara including the State Counsel
North, Aruna Jalloh, whose determination is to see justice done without delay.
According to
High Court source, several witnesses have lined up to testify in capital
offences against accused persons but unfortunately jurors are not sitting due
to the fact that the judiciary has not paid their stipends for closed to a
year.
One of the
displeased jurors intimated this medium that most of their colleagues have to
walk distances to attend High Court sittings without having food or water to
drink not to talk of providing for the daily sustenance of their families.
He concluded
that even though they are doing a national service yet they are family heads
with legal and moral obligation to provide for their family needs. Government
therefore needs to address their official entitlements.
In an
exclusive interview with Lawyer Ibrahim Samba, representing Legal Aid in
Makeni, he said the action of the jurors is unfortunate as “justice delay is
justice denied” he further disclosed
that the law makes provision for twelve jurors to sit with the presiding judge
on capital cases and for any absence of one juror the trial proceedings cannot
continue which means that the accused persons at the correctional center will
surely spend their charistmas and New year without bail or acquittal and
discharge.
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