By Amin Kef Sesay
Eddinia Michaela Swallow, President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, participated in a roundtable discussion on the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone during a program that was held at the residence of the British High Commissioner, Simon Mustard.
In his opening address, Simon Mustard said that there are thirty countries that are yet to abolish the death penalty.
He spoke about the need for the abolition, adding that there is no proven justification that death penalty can deter crimes of the same nature.
President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Ms. Eddinia Michaela Swallow said she is encouraged by the level of commitment shown by actors of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), as well as representatives of the opposition parties regarding the abolition of the death penalty.
She stated that after a series of discussions, members of the Bar are overwhelmingly in support of the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone.
She also said that the Bar Association had already presented a position paper to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Y. Brewah, calling for the President of Sierra Leone to formally pronounce the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone, and for Government to take legislative steps to amend all existing laws which provide for the execution of the death penalty.
“As a professional body of lawyers, the Bar Association is willing to provide the necessary support towards the drafting of the relevant law that will replace the death penalty,” Eddinia M. Swallow Esq. assured.
Speaking at the roundtable also were: The Deputy Minister of Justice – Umaru Napoleon Koroma; the Leader of Government Business in Parliament – Matthew Sahr Nyuma; the All People’s Congress (APC) Party Leader in Parliament – Chernor R.M. Bah; Momoh Turay of the UK/Sierra Leone Probono Network on the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone; Simonnetta Rossi of UNDP and other stakeholders.
The Bar Association says that it “will continue to collaborate with other stakeholders as part of its efforts to increase advocacy on the death penalty and to accelerate its abolition”.
