REVISITING PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION AT THE SPECIAL COURT FOR SIERRA LEONE
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Keywords:
Prosecutorial Discretion, Special Court for Sierra Leone, UN Security Council Resolution1315/2000, Case Selection, ProsecutorAbstract
Sierra Leone suffered a brutal civil war, between 1991 and 2002, described as one of the bloodiest in the modern era. It was characterised by amputations, widespread rape and child labour. Numerous international attempts including the United Nations (UN) and the sub regional body Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) failed to bring the war to a speedy end. Eventually, the UN through, UN Security Council Resolution 1315/2000, established the Special Court for Sierra Leone, mandating the Court to `Prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for the crimes committed during the country’s civil war. The Court was established in 2002 and completed its work in 2013.
Now that the Court has dissolved its work, it is timely to evaluate how the concept of prosecutorial discretion assisted the Prosecutors, in their case selection.
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