Kenema Mayor says judiciary understaffed

The Mayor of Kenema, Joseph Samba Keifala says the judiciary is “understaffed” especially in the provinces where he says one Magistrate serves more than one district. Speaking at the launch in Kenema of the takeover of local courts by the judiciary from the local government ministry, he said the population had grown and crime rate had increased; hence the need to increase the number of Judges. The mayor said that because of the vastness of the city the eastern provincial headquarter town of Kenema alone needed two magistrates to put back the delay in the dispensation of justice. He described the occasion as “another history-making one” adding that for a long time the local court system had been unfriendly and characterized by fear and intimidation. He said “the untimely adjournment of hearings and malpractices” within the justice system by some officials also accounted for the “avoidable” delay. Chief Justice, Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh assured the gathering that there was already a magistrate waiting to be posted to Kailahun on completion of training, adding that she would ensure that every part of the country had access to justice.