Jan. 25
SIERRA LEONE:
Kabbah Okays Death Penalty
The Office of the President last week stated in a release that President
Kabbah would not abolish the death penalty from the country's law book.
The release emphasized that the death penalty is part of the laws of this
country just as is been entrenched in the legal systems of America, Japan
and other African countries.
The government defence came after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
had recommend the abolition of the death penalty from the laws of Sierra
Leone.
This was also echoed by other human rights organization around the world.
"There is no doubt that the death penalty is a serious punishment and some
people may genuinely want to see it abolished in this country," the
statement said and continued, "such people must however realise that the
President cannot change the law on his own and he is bound to obey the law
as long as it is the current law in the country." The release further
states it is mandatory to follow the law as it is been allowed to take it
course in many democratic countries.
"The law also gives the President power to exercise his prerogative of
mercy in favour of a condemned prisoner. But he can exercise this power
only after all judicial remedies including appeals have been exhausted and
not before that," the release noted.
(source: Freetown Concord Times)
