May 25, 2021
By: Aruna Kamara (Bo)
The State Counsel and Customary Law Officer in the Southern Region, Yusuf Sulaiman Koroma, has raised serious concern over the increase in the crime rate in the Southern region of the country with sexual penetration topping the list.
Speaking to this medium at the Bo High Court last week, Mr. Koroma said the work is very hectic as people do not want to respect the law and sometimes he is surprised at the manner in which people conduct themselves as they take the law into their hands and do not care about severe the consequences.
He said there a lot of files before him with offences ranging from larceny to murder but topping the list is sexual penetration, involving victims as young as three years.
According to him, even the court is handing down sentence for people to learn lessons from it but they are still committing the crime, noting that it is very alarming.
Mr. Koroma said that he is constrained with working with the local court chairman as he supervises them as a customary Law officer but it seems as if they have not gone through training.
“When I took over I invited the court chairmen in Bo District and had a session with them and also guided them on the procedures in court but I am receiving a lot of complains from the court about extortion, ’he lamented, stressing that it appears some of them have not changed”.
Mr. Koroma added that plans are on the way to have a similar session for the court chairmen in Pujehun and other districts in the south but those who come to the office will be guided about the procedures in court.
“We really need to pay attention to the local court as the issue of injustice that is coming from those courts is of grave concern,” Mr. Koroma said.
The State Counsel Customary Law Officer noted that he is faced with challenges; among them are the irregular electricity supply and witnesses are not coming to court to help the prosecution.
He told this medium also that in he enjoys very good interaction with the police as they hang heads on legal issues.