By: Ilyasa Baa
Residents of the seven sections in Lower Bambara Chiefdom, in Tongor, Kenema District have been in a jubilant mood over the holding of court sessions in their area by the Judiciary of Sierra Leone.
The Magistrate Court is going to speedily look into sixteen cases in four days in the Chiefdom ranging from larceny to shop breaking.
The movement of the seating magistrate to Tongor is being welcome by stakeholders as well as okada riders and the youths who were burdened with travelling expenses to go all the way to Kenema for justice.
According to the Director of Communications of the Judiciary, Elkas Sannoh, plans are underway for Tongor to have a seating High Court Judge to dispense justice in cases committed to the High Court from the Magistrate Court.
He said one of the Resident Magistrates in Kenema will be frequent in Lower Bambara to expedite cases.
It could be recalled that access to justice had been a financial burden on citizens twhichwas why the Chief Justice in ameliorating the stress, has been holding court sessions in hard-to-reach areas within the country since his appointment in December, 2018.
Speaking to this medium, Ibrahim Swarray, a tailor in Tongor said the holding of the court sessions in their area is a demonstration of the government’s commitment towards access to justice which is a fundamental human right. He said litigants can now save some money and time going to Kenema to seek justice.