By Wilbri John, Extern, LAWYERS
Before coming in contact with
AdvocAid, I had decided that I will work more as a Solicitor and less as a
Barrister. I thought I was better-off in
an office environment than in the court room.
Seeing women in conflict with the law; most of them without any legal
representation, juvenile imprisoned with adult and the unfair and unjust
treatment meted on people especially less privilege, I have decided that when I
become a lawyer, I will put a lot of effort in advocating for such people.
When interviewing victims or
listening to cases discussed by fellow paralegals I have come to realize that
the theoretical and the practical part of the law have many differences in
Sierra Leone. I’ve been to a court
sitting to see that the accused did not have a lawyer. He did cross examination himself. He was an illiterate and needed an
interpreter to interpret everything to him; the questions asked by the lawyer
of the plaintiff and by the magistrates.
According to the law, the accused must be provided with a lawyer if he
cannot afford one but that is hardly done unless certain human rights lawyers
come across such cases and decide to represent them.
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