§ 21 and 22. Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether there is a Court of Appeal for the hearing of civil cases in Sierra Leone, and no Court of Appeal in criminal cases; whether a person convicted on the findings of a judge alone has no right of appeal;
(2) whether, by an ordinance in force in the Colony of Sierra Leone, the Attorney-General, without stating any reason, has the right to demand that a person charged with an offence be tried by the aid of assessors instead of by jury; and whether, in such cases, the unanimous opinion of the assessors is binding on the Court or is the sole right of decision vested in the judge alone?
Mr. WOODThere is a Court of Appeal for civil cases, but none for criminal cases in Sierra Leone—the Attorney-General may, except in capital cases, demand that a person shall be tried by a judge with assessors instead of with a jury; the opinion of the assessors is not binding on the judge; it follows that a person may be convicted on other than capital charges, on the findings of a judge without having a right to appeal. It is always open to a person so convicted to petition the Governor for pardon or remission of sentence.