By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
With support from local sponsors, the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) on Wednesday 7th June 2023 handed over renovated dormitory and other capacity-building resource materials for detainees at the Kingtom Remand House.
The President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Madam Edina Micheala Swallow in her statement explained that they earlier took a tour of the dormitories with a different purpose but got informed of a pressing need which was to renovate the dormitories. She said there were over four dormitories but they had started off with one. The president further explained that they had replaced the gate that had fallen off with a new sliding gate. Madam Swallow also revealed that the materials for the capacity-building training that they requested would later be handed over.
“We want to change the narrative of the place. We don’t want people to come here and be like this is the end of their lives. We want when they leave here, they would have learnt something that would make them better people because if they go back to society the same way they came in, it’s just a cycle they are going to come back here and later end in prison,” SLBA President expressed.
She furthered that it was, for this reason, they would be using that same platform to launch the DEMS project with a priority to focus more on the boys.
SLBA President described the project as a ‘Pro Bono’ and urged colleague lawyers to take inmates’ cases seriously and corporate with the project. She expressed appreciation to their sponsors, UBA, ECOBANK and Marampa Mines and colleagues in the Association. She further expressed a strong willingness for continuous support and ended up calling stakeholders for more support.
One of the sponsors representing the Marampa Mines commended the effort of the Bar Association for considering the welfare of the inmates. He expressed willingness that they would continue to support the SLBA in such adventures.
On behalf of the Social Welfare Ministry, the officer in charge of the Remand Home expressed appreciation to the Bar Association and their sponsors for that laudable venture. He explained the security safety of the Remand Home and said a police officer and correctional officer were all there to secure them. He further explained the other challenges they also had at that moment and called for more sponsors.
