By Mackisal and Salhaj
Bail isn’t the same as being found innocent. Courts often grant it based on legal standards: the presumption of innocence, risk of flight, danger to the community, and whether the person will show up for trial. But the problem is that those standards don’t always match the real-world risk, especially when witnesses are being intimidated. If two other suspects are still at large and on a wanted list, that already raises the risk level significantly. When a victim’s friends and family are being threatened, that is witness intimidation.
That doesn’t just put one person at risk; it chills the whole case. People stop coming forward, evidence gets weaker, and the community feels unsafe. In many places, including Sierra Leone, intimidation of victims and witnesses is a crime, and courts can revoke bail or add protection orders because of it. Justice isn’t just the trial; it’s also protection during the process.
When that part breaks down, people lose trust. The fact that three individuals are out on bail and two are fugitives means there are five people connected to this case who could influence witnesses. That is why families feel exposed right now. The Sierra Leone Judiciary should act to restore its image and dignity in a case like this.