Supporters of the ruling New Direction Government have applauded the Sierra Leone judiciary, which is notable for its excess baggage, for the outcome of the trial of Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh. They argued that it is a new dawn in the history of the marathon trial.
President Bio’s Government was singled out by these vuvuzelas for not interfering into the matter, a situation which, according to them, could not have been possible in an APC era.
Some of these ruling party supporters have also recounted that Palo Conteh’s trial had at least redeemed our judiciary from the embarrassment of the Sam Sumana case.
All of these insinuations are far off from the truth and have in no way salvaged the questionable image of our judiciary to the world and our donor partners, who have spent colossal sums of money on the reform of our JUSTICE SECTOR.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report had seriously castigated the judiciary for failing to promote social justice, the rule of law and the fundamental human rights of the ordinary Sierra Leoneans, thereby causing the ten years brutal civil war.
The ruthless and senseless war had justifiably targeted the Police and other justice sector personnel and facilities, such as Police Stations, courts and prison facilities to express their dissatisfaction regarding the way and manner these institutions had conducted themselves in the last decade prior to the civil war.
The TRC report had advanced a number of recommendations that could possibly lead to the independence of the judiciary, such as separating the Office of the Attorney from the Ministry of Justice, strengthening the Judicial Service Commission and addressing the issue of the President appointing Judges, as well as the financial independence of the judiciary.
The Police and our military forces, which were also factored in the ten years war, were also reformed. The expectations of our donor partners and other multi –lateral and bi-lateral countries was to create a strong security system that would be devoid of political manipulation and be fully accountable to the people of Sierra Leone only.
Both the SLPP and the APC have turned a blind eye to these recommendations in their years of rule to promote the interest of their parties.
The SLPP and the APC have largely manipulated the judiciary and the security forces whenever they are in power. They have continuously used the security forces and the courts to promote intimidation and suppression of their political opponents.
It is therefore strange that supporters of the New Direction would attempt to glorify the judiciary just because a twelve (12) man jury had returned a guilty verdict on Major Palo Conteh.
The excess baggage of our judiciary, machinated by the APC and the SLPP, cannot be easily redeemed.
The judiciary and the Sierra Leone Police are the sources of most of our problems in the country and, until these institutions are independent and accountable only to the people of Sierra Leone and not the politicians, we will continue to have a divided nation.
Palo Conteh’s trial has only succeeded in exposing the Attorney General and Minister of Justice who many believe does not have the wherewithal to serve as the legal adviser to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Under her watch, Sierra Leone and the state continue to lose matters both in and out of the country. She has been blamed for failing to put in place the requisite legal environment to encourage investment in the ‘battered economy’ they inherited from the APC.
She and her team of State lawyers, including Adrian Fisher, were given a bloody nose by the old man, Dr. Abdulai O. Conteh, after they listed a number of bogus charges against the retired Major only to woefully lose the case to the defence.
Their extra advantage, as state prosecutors, could not help them to carry the day in this historic trial. The supporters of the ruling party retreated and took solace by praising the government for allowing a total independence in the matter.