Expanding the Reach of "Justice on Wheels"

Securing Freedom for Prolonged Pre-Trial Detainees (June 8 - 26, 2026): During the month of June, our legal team successfully secured the release of 37 individuals from prolonged pre-trial detention at the Monrovia Central, Bondiway, and Kakata prison compounds, in Montserrado and Margibi Counties. We are actively dismantling the barriers of prolonged pre-trial detention through collaborative fast-track trials with the RIA, Bondiway, Kakata, and Brewerville Magisterial Courts. Proceedings were conducted both on-site at prison facilities and within the main courtrooms.

Our volunteer lawyers moved the courts to dismiss criminal cases against individuals held for months, and in some cases over a year, without trial. Because the state failed to meet statutory prosecution deadlines, these dismissals served as a necessary civil society intervention to uphold judicial integrity. This intervention was not a judgment on the merits, but a vital stand to protect constitutional rights, reduce unlawful detention, challenge systemic delays, and ensure the judiciary remains accountable. Individuals released from prison were charged crimes that included theft of property, burglary, disorderly conduct, and simple assault, all of which are offenses less serious than felonies but more serious than infractions with jail term on conviction of up to a year.  We extend our sincere gratitude to our volunteer lawyers, Attys. Al Varney Rogers and Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, and Cllrs. Alvin W. Yelloway and Sundaiway N. Amegashie, and to the local justice actors for their dedication and cooperation.

Community Legal Empowerment: Sawabenu extended its legal outreach to the suburban and rural communities of Cotton Tree Market, the Cotton Tree Hatai Center, and Compound Larkay-Ta along the Bong Mines Road near Kakata, as well as Coleman Farm, Plumkor, Moulton Corner, Blacktom Town, and Central Careysburg in Montserrado County. This initiative reached 134 participants comprising men, women, and youth who reflect the basic social structures of these areas. The team held vital legal awareness sessions that fostered a space that addressed personal and community legal challenges. Additional topics covered included the criminal justice process, citizens' constitutional rights, the roles of the police, prosecutors, magistrates, and courts, the jurisdictional limits of traditional leaders, and the procedures for reporting criminal offenses.

Women represented 56.7% of participants overall, reflecting a strong demand for legal knowledge among women in these communities. During the sessions, volunteer lawyers received and addressed material legal inquiries from participants regarding land rights, domestic violence, child support, and criminal procedure. By equipping citizens with knowledge of their rights, the organization is building a more informed and resilient society.

We are deeply grateful for the continued support of the Embassy of Sweden and our partner, Naymote, in making this work possible.