The principal magistrate in Port Loko Joseph Amadu has expressed concern over the non appearance of remand prisoners in court.
He said witnesses as well as litigants had not heard about any progress with their matters for the fourth consecutive month.
Magistrate Amadu was speaking at the Lungi Magistrate Court where he concluded a final session for the year 2007.
He attributed the prolonged adjournment in the past several months to the negligence of prison authorities in the provision of means of transportation to and from the court.
Magistrate Amadu informed the court that he had personally written to the authorities concerned about the prevailing situation.
He noted that such a situation had the potential to defeat the end of justice. He made special reference to 51 remand prisoners currently languishing at the Pademba Road prisons, while they should be at the Port Loko State prisons. He said they were sent to Pademba road to ease the risk involved in transporting prisoners from Port Loko to Lungi.
The magistrate said some of these prisoners were granted bail but had no-one to surety them, while several others still awaited bail. Sources say some prisoners have been dying in custody. The tough-talking magistrate lamented, saying the situation was almost the same in Lunsar and Masiaka