The Legal Aid Board was granted the opportunity to address parliament on Tuesday, 13th May 2025. Did you say Parliamentarians from the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) do not agree on anything? On this occasion parliamentarians were united in praising the Board for transforming access to justice in their constituencies. What’s more, MPs could tell what the Board was doing in their constituencies and how this is impacting lives.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Alpha Sesay and the Executive Director of the Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles rose to the occasion to showcase the achievements, challenges and plans for expanding the legal aid provision in future.
The AG underlined the impressive record of the Board in expanding access to justice across in the country since its founding in 2015 by ensuring justice is accessible and affordable for ordinary people. He noted that the impact of the Board has been felt in both the formal and informal justice systems. In the case of the former, the Board monitors Police Stations, Courts, and Correctional Centers to ensure suspects, accused persons and inmates are provided legal services and their fundamental human rights are protected.
While in the case of the Local Court and Traditional justice mechanisms commonly called informal courts, the Board ensures they operate strictly within their jurisdiction and prevent illegal arrests, detention, banishment of individuals from their communities and imposition of excessive fines. The Board staff also refers matters outside the jurisdiction of these courts to the police.
The AG intimated parliamentarians that the Board has 23 offices around the country. He noted that the Board needs to increase its paralegals from its current 59 to 190 to meet the requirement of the Legal Aid Act 2012 which provides that each of the 190 chiefdoms should have at least one Paralegal. ‘The shortage presents a major challenge in fully meeting the legal aid needs of our population, particularly in underserved rural and remote areas,’ the AG said.
Speaking on the impact of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the AG underlined that it has been effective in settling civil and minor community level disputes which has brought peaceful coexistence in communities.
The Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hnaciles traced the history of the Legal Aid Board to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which recommended the establishment of the scheme. She disclosed that over 4 million persons in Sierra Leone have benefited from the Board through legal advice and legal representation, mediation of civil and community level disputes, legal education and monitoring of both the formal and Informal Justice systems. She noted that a recent study by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) found that the Legal Aid Board is the cheapest scheme in low income countries. ‘The Board spends USD 11 per client which is below the average of USD 20 for low income countries’, she said.
The Honorable Speaker and MPs spoke favorably about the work of the Board in their districts. They stated that they have interacted with the Legal Aid Board office in their districts and know what the Board is doing in advancing access to justice.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Honorable Hindolo Moiwo Gavao, noted that the establishment of the Legal Aid Board has brought about marked improvement in access to justice. He praised the Board’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism. He underlined that the Board has ensured customary marriages are recognized and respected as such wives in these marriages are not taken advantage of in matters of inheritance.
Hon. Gavao call on Parliament to consider giving enforcement powers to the Board.
Member of Parliament for Kono District, Hon Tamba Kellie praised the work of the Board in the District. He noted that the Board has done a good job in representing inmates at Sefadu Correctional Center and ensuring their release which has helped to decongest the prison. He however disagreed with Hon. Gavao on the issue of giving enforcement powers to the Board.
The MP for Kambia, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara acknowledged the work of the Board in the district. ‘With the presence of the Board, people no longer go to witch doctor to seek revenge against those who wrong them’ he said. He singled out the Legal Aid Counsel for Kambia, Mohamed Korie for praise as the best known lawyer in the district. He noted that majority of the remand inmates in the Kambia and Waterloo Correctional Centers are young people. He added that the situation is the same for the Waterloo and Moyamba Correctional Centers which he visited recently.
Hon AKK expressed concern at the fact that Magistrate Court building in Kambia will be constrained to sit in the rainy season due to serious leakage. Also, the Magistrate does not have an official residence, Vehicle or security.
Other MPs including the opposition leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo and Quinton Salia Konneh spoke positively about the impact of the Board in their Districts.
