By Eric Delanyo Alifo | Executive Director
1. Introduction
HelpLaw Ghana continues to offer its services to many indigent accused persons in the Ghana. Increasing numbers of the poor and less privileged Ghanaians are receiving legal representation from part-time pro bono lawyers engaged by HelpLaw Ghana. This report presents a brief account of the activities undertaken in the third quarter of 2014.
2. Media Outreach
The major media activity that began particularly, at the beginning of 2014 to create awareness of the abuses in the criminal justice system, and the presence of HelpLaw Ghana to assist the poor and vulnerable is continuing. These initiatives paid off tremendously in the recent past to the extent that court Registrars and Judges are taking notice of our activities and are referring indigent to us for assistance.
3. Court Work
Our bro bono lawyers are presently representing over 60 indigent accused persons, who are too poor to hire lawyers to defend them. The courtsusuallygo on legal vacation from August to the early part of October. The greater part of this quarter fell within this period thereby slowing work generally. We could not do the cases that were pending at the superior courts due to the legal vacation. We have had to confine our activities to the lower courts and some selected high courts that were still sitting. However, we have also used the time to review some cases and files and visit some of our clients at the detention centers.
4. Other activities
Helplaw Ghana has also been collaborating with other sister organizations to realize to provide legal services to the poor. The Founder has been sharing his time and ideas with other bodies operating in the justice system. Currently, HelpLaw Ghana is assisting the X Foundation to free some remand prisoners who have been in detention for more than three years without trial in prisons all over Ghana.
5. Conclusion
HelpLaw Ghana remains committed to this vision. We look forward to extending our services to other parts of Ghana as soon as we acquire reasonable sponsorship. We are seriously preparing to launch another seminar before the end of this year as part of the OSIWA support. Our only worry is that the funding we received from OSIWA which has enabled us to embark on these great projects is only for one year. We are not sure how the following year is going to be for the organization; however, we are not perturbed. We are determined to push the vision through. We hope we can continue to count on your generosity as we move forward.
Thank you.
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