Criminal Procedure Act 2024: Opposition Chief Whip asks President Bio to have a second thought
…..Says President Bio is a gentleman with the power to save parliament and the democratic principles
Yahaya Idris, Freetown
The ongoing debate on the Criminal Procedure Act 2024 has become one of the most much-talked-about issues in the country due to its controversial clauses.
In a lead, the Sierra Leone opposition’s Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul-Karim Kamara has succinctly demystified the intricacies of the ACT that the particular law should best be embraced by Sierra Leoneans considering its enormous opportunities.
According to Kamara, it is a law that could address issues of preliminary investigations, custodians tendencies which implies that there were minor cases in which perpetrators had to spend more years in prison which in turn could put more burden on the government and with the new Act it would now become a history to tell.
The statement further indicated that in the new Act established with such crimes, the culprits should not be imprisoned but be mandated to be involved in community domestic chores as it is applicable in other countries.
While buttressing his point, Karama expressed dissatisfaction with the issue of the abolition of the jury system, saying that it surprised him because during the discussion such was not mentioned.
He said what the Attorney General presented to them was to reduce the jurors from 12- to 10 as he informed them that in most cases those jurors due absent for hearings and as a result, it’s prudent for them to be reduced for speedy trials.
Global Times Nigeria gathered that the statement was obtained from the Media and Communications Unit of the Opposition Chief whip, who reiterated that they collectively supported the motion for the reduction of jurors from 12-10 and they went ahead to include quorum.
Nevertheless, the Opposition Chief Whip emphasized that he only took notice of the unfortunate occurrence after they had enacted the bill.
He added that he got the news that the abolition of the jury system was part of the Act that was never debated.
He, therefore, called on the President to serve as a sincere and committed gatekeeper because as it’s now he is the only gentleman that has the power to save the image of parliament and to save the democratic principles of the land.
