By Sulaiman Jalloh

The Judiciary through the Acting Chief Justice, Justice Browne-Mark has, during a ceremony held at Law Court Building on Siaka Stevens Street, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, handed over about thirty-five (35) different types of ammunitions to the Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition (SLeCAA).

The said ammunitions included rifle-type 85 with serial number 9006233, pistol-Glock 17 with serial number EH526, rifle-AK 47(10) with serial number NH350567, Short Gun- Double Barrel, Canon de Supete with serial number 4729, 7.6x39MM Cartridges-67 with no serial number and pellet-Magnum 350 with serial number 01339498.

Making her opening remarks, the Master and Register, Elaine Thomas-Archibald, said that the weapons have gone through the court processes and it is time they handed them over to the Arms and Ammunition Commission for safe disposal.

On his part, the Acting Chief Justice, Justice Browne-Mark said the arms and ammunitions were exhibits they had in the court, and that the court does not have a safe place to keep them; therefore, they may fall into the wrong hands. According to the learned Justice, the Arms Commission is the right place to dispose of them and that going forward, the Judiciary we will try as best as possible to ensure disposal as soon as cases are tendered.

Receiving the arms and ammunitions, the Deputy Commissioner of SLeCAA, Lt Col Rtd. Luke Foday Ndanema, expressed thanks and appreciation to the Judiciary, pointing out that Article 17 of the ECOWAS Convention mandates Member State to collect and/ or destroy small arms and light weapons, including but not limited to, one surplus to the national need or have become obsolete, seized weapons, and illicitly held weapons. He further disclosed that Act No. 24 of 2002 of SLeCAA was repealed and replaced with the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms Act No. 6 of 2010 and Act No 9 of 2012, which saw the increase in the Commission’s mandate. “The Mandate of the Commission enshrined in Act no 24 of 2023 is to control the use, proliferation and illicit circular of small arms and light weapons, ammunition and other related materials throughout the country in order to effectively coordinate national response in the reduction of armed violence through collaborative engagement with national, regional and international stakeholders,” the Deputy Commissioner stated. He furthered that the need for professional relationships with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and partners should not be overemphasized, as according to him, it provides the base on which national security is built on.

Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, July 5th, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)