By Africa 24 Reporter

Members of Parliament (MPs) have said as it stands police stations across the country haven’t any records on people being arrested and detained in cells and in prisons.

This statement was made on Monday 28th October 2024 during MPs engagement with members of human rights and legislative committees in parliament on the introduction of a Petty Offenses Bill at the Committee room one in Parliament.

The bill is piloted by AdvocAid in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.

Speaking during the deliberations, the Chairman of the Legislative Committee in Parliament, Hon Marray Conteh said the Petty Offense Bill is geared towards de-congesting prison and redirect pathways to a new down in Sierra Leone.

According to Hon Marray Conteh, the bill is mainly focused on de-criminalizing poverty.

The Opposition Chief Whip who doubles as the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee in Parliament , Hon Abdul Karim Kamara stated that the bill is geared towards addressing the perennial problems on the justice system in Sierra Leone.

Hon Kamara said the petty crimes range from ridicules and other forms of litigations.

He said prisons all the country are not only congested but are old.

“Our police should not suffer for the laws that the web makes,” he said.

He urged for more engagement for the bill to successfully enact and subsequently free Sierra Leoneans especially those in poor communities from the detentions.

The Deputy Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Hon Daniel Koroma disclosed that the bill was timely especially so when the criminal Procedure Act is about to be enacted, stating that this is the time to make all Bills and Acts look workable for the people of Sierra Leone.

“Sometimes, some of these petty offenses can be settled in other ways and not through a court or by police arrest. A lot have suffered for petty offenses,” Hon Koroma said.

MPs said MPs are ready to work with all relevant stakeholders to enact the said Bill.

Making her submissions, Mrs Kai Kai from Advoc Aid said the bill is geared towards advancing criminal justice system reform through decriminalizing and declassifying petty offenses in Sierra Leone.

She said no person should punish other people because of their economic status.

The Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Alpha Sesay said, said all Sierra Leoneans must be equal before the law.

He spoke about the current preparation of the Mediation Bill which works towards decriminalizing the petty offices.

He said the mediation bill also speaks to the same direction.

He thanked the MPs for spearing their time to deliberate on the Petty Offenses Bill which he said is the beginning of the broader deliberations to make the bill a successful one.