Nigerian born Justice Biobele Georgewill of Commission 64 at the ongoing Commissions of Enquiry in Freetown has appealed to journalists and other members of the public to refrain from carrying sensational headlines and forming opinions on the proceedings.
The Commissioner further appealed to pressmen to report purely what transpires at the Commissions and leave out their personal opinions.He continued that,all persons of interest that have appeared before him have not been implicated or found guilty as already carried and aired in some television stations and newspapers in Freetown.
The process, Commissioner Georgewill noted, is yet early and that the Commissioner only has the sole mandate to release their findings on the status of persons of interest that appear before it.
In another development, the Commissioner also brought to the attention of the prosecution and defense counsels the serious issue of securing witnesses who appear before the Commission.
The Commission, he noted, will, according to him, have to make a decision on whether the names of witnesses should be mentioned when the opposing sidesare served.
“We will not want a situation wherein the safety and security of witnesses is jeopardized or the evidences are interfered with prior to the witness appearing before the Commission,”Justice Georgewill affirmed.
Justice Georgewill also urged the lead defense counsel to ensure that the other side is properly served well ahead of time. This was in direct response to an application made by defense counsels on the need for them to be separately served all documents that are presented to the Commission, which have direct bearing on persons of interest they represent.
The hearings were adjourned for Thursday 16thFebruary, 2019 and lead counsel is expected to lead more witnesses on behalf of the state.