May 7, 2021
By: Audrey John
The maiden edition of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone was yesterday launched at the Judiciary main court Building at Siaka Steven Street by the Hon Chief Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards and Dr. P.K Muana, Strategic Communication Unit of the Office of the President. The Judiciary Maiden magazine is extremely nourished with a lot of ground breaking news, stories, speech and researched based articles that can be used for academic research, paper presentation and other value-loaded research with accurate data from an informed point of view.
In his words, the Honourable Chief Justice said over the past years the world has been besieged by the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, living global economic paralyzed like many other African Countries and Sierra Leone has equally suffered from it devastating effect.
He said thankfully we have been able to surmount those challenges as a United Nation to the point that there is now a glimmer of hope; he thanked the President of the Country for providing competent leadership during these trying times and for reposing confidence in the Judiciary by providing the necessary support.
This is unprecedented in the history of the Judiciary and there is obviously need for more support in achieving our ambitious goal set out in the strategic plan of the Judiciary to make it a model for emulation within the sub-region.
The president has envisioned a new Judiciary where justice should be taken to the door steps of every Sierra Leonean irrespective of your social status, ethnic group, regional background or religion, he noted.
When I assumed office on 2019, I focused my administration on gender empowerment and development, expeditious trials and taking Justice to the door steps of the citizenry in their respective localities and a lot of success has been recorded and sustainable reforms have taken place in the admiration of the citizenry. We have made tangible achievements ranging from the Holden of the High Court criminal season in almost all district in Sierra Leone, to the development of first resident Judges in Kailahun, Port Loko, Moyamba and Pujehun District, he narrated.
He furthered that the establishment of the first Sexual Offense Model Court, Social Security Court, Anti Corruption Court and Registry. The setting up of eight High Court Divisions, the total refurbishment of the main Law Court Building, the first live broadcast of the court sitting by allowing Journalists to use cameras and tape recorders to report live on the proceedings of the Supreme Court, the recruitment of qualified staff, especially women and the digitalization of the Judiciary with the first ever virtual Court and a responsive website that gives timely information on all judiciary and legal issues in the court, all the development highlighted are unprecedented in the Country’s history.
I and delighted to produce the maiden magazine of the Judiciary since I assumed the mantle of leadership and the good news is that I have dedicated my administration to quality service delivery, he concluded.
In a brief statement, Dr. P.K Muana from the Strategic Communication Unit of the Office of the President commended the Sierra Leone Judiciary for this landmark event, noting that for quite a time a lot of information has been going out about the Judiciary and many has the myth that the Judiciary is not working in their favor but with this method they will be able to reach to the public with current information and regular update about the Judiciary.
He also appreciated them for the live coverage of the Supreme Court proceedings which also helped to debar the overcrowdings of the Court and passively praised them for the current reforms, the appointment of Judges and Magistrates to enhance expeditious trial especially in the rural areas.
Dr. Muana however appealed to members of the Bar Association to contribute in writings to the newsletter to keep it running and called for more training for reporters to aid them in their reporting
The event was graced by the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre and many others.