The so-called “Prison Courts” during the Judicial Week will take place simultaneously in Freetown, Bo, Moyamba, Kenema, Kono, Makeni and Port Loko from 17th to 20th September, 2019 respectively.
Judges in Freetown will sit in High Court No 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11; while courts in the provinces will sit in their respective provincial towns.
The above comes in the wake of the commencement of the 2019/2020 Judicial Year.
According to Moses Lamin Kamara, Public Relations Officer, Judiciary of Sierra Leone, on Monday 16th September 2019 there was the Civil Call Over of cases, marking the opening of Civil Court after the end of the long vacation from the 15th July – 15th September, 2019.
He stated that yesterday Tuesday 17th September 2019 the Criminal Call Over of cases marked the opening of the September – November 2019 Criminal Sessions of the High Court.
He added that on Friday 20th September, 2019 there would be the usual Judicial Thanksgiving Service with Muslim Prayers at the Hamdallah Mosque at Naimbana Street in Freetown followed by a similar Christian Thanksgiving Service at the St. George’s Cathedral, George Street, Freetown at 9:30am.
After the opening of the Criminal Sessions on the 17th September, 2019 followed by the Sierra Leone Police mounting the usual guard of honor for the inspection of the Hon. Chief Justice, the call over commenced.
He added that Tuesday 17th September to Friday 20th September, 2019 will be specially observed as Judicial Week during which inter alia special attention will be paid in addressing overcrowding and the human rights of trial detainees held at the Pademba Road Correctional facility and all other correctional facilities in the country without trial.
With respect to the Criminal call over of cases, all accused persons on bail, witnesses and jurors should without fail report at the Freetown High Court No. 1 and those in the provinces should report at their respective provincial courts where these matters will be heard.
High Courts No. 12 and 13 at the Freetown Court at Siaka Stevens Street and the court rooms in the Fast Track Commercial Courts are reserved for civil matters during the course of the Judicial Week.
