The ordinary Sierra Leonean will have the opportunity to participate in the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI) before the end of the hearing, the lead judge has said.
Justice Biobele Georgewill was quoted on Friday, 5 July 2019, inviting the public to send in their interest to contribute in preparation of an Open Jury Week slated for September, when the Commission is expected to close the public hearing.
The COI was set up by President Julius Maada Bio following his assumption of office in April 2018 to investigate suspected corrupt officials in the former administration of his predecessor, Ernest Bai Koroma.
George will is presiding over one of the three Commissions. In a statement from Commission Room Number One, the Nigerian judge said the Open Jury Week is necessary to allow the public to have their say since the commission is supposed to be the People’s Commission.
“When I am through with all the investigations and evidences that have been tendered, if you think there is something you need to say, for one week I will give the people of Sierra Leone the opportunity to say what they want to say and at the end of which I will have two months
to look at the matters and come out with my findings and recommendations,” he said.
Justice George will said the move is meant to emphasize the point that the Commission’s hearings are open and transparent. He said with the move he also wanted to know how much interest the testimonies have generated, as well as the views of Sierra Leoneans on the evidences presented by both state and defense counsels.
“There will be no secret because it will be open to everybody. I want to know those who really followed these proceedings. I want to know the level of interest you generated so far. I want to know the views of the people of this country on evidences that have been led so far.
Evidences not only from the state, but also evidences from cross examinations and everything. Taking all of them together, if you feel confident that you can say something or ask something, you will be allowed to do so come one week in September,” he said.
– APA
