By: Audrey Raymonda John
A total of seventy-five (75) criminal cases have been committed to the *High Court of Sierra Leone for further trial, following preliminary hearings at various Magistrate Courts.
The cases were listed during the September Criminal Session, presided over by Justice Alfred Tommy Ganda, where outcomes varied some accused persons received prison sentences, others were acquitted and discharged based on time already served, while several cases were assigned to different judges for trial.
According to court records, the most common offence on the list is office, shop, and housebreaking with larceny, accounting for 26 cases. This is followed by 9 cases of fraudulent conversion, 8 cases of wounding with intent, 7 cases of murder, 6 cases involving prohibited drugs, 6 cases of robbery, 4 cases of human trafficking, 3 cases of treason and misprision of treason and 1 case each of embezzlement, bigamy, and forgery.
When charges were read and explained to the accused persons, many pleaded guiltyand asked the court for leniency. Their pleas were supported by defence counsel from the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board, who made plea-in-mitigation submissions on their behalf.
For cases considered more serious in nature, the accused were assigned to specific High Court judges who are scheduled to hear and determine the matters on later dates.
These developments mark a significant step forward in addressing the backlog of criminal cases and ensuring timely access to justice within Sierra Leone’s legal system.