Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008

This report chapter examines the state of access to justice in Sierra Leone as of 2008, detailing a bifurcated legal system where the majority of the population relies on customary law. It highlights systemic barriers including poverty, illiteracy, and corruption, while specifically addressing the vulnerabilities of women and children in the justice system. The document also outlines various institutional reforms and NGO-led paralegal initiatives aimed at improving legal reach in rural areas.

• Sierra Leone operates a bifurcated legal system consisting of a formal system based on English common law and a traditional or customary law system. Due to high illiteracy rates, most disputes are handled via customary law, with a 2007 study indicating that 85 per cent of the population falls under its jurisdiction.
• Access to the formal justice system is severely limited for most citizens due to financial constraints and a lack of awareness of their rights. While the Constitution guarantees equal opportunity for securing justice, many cannot meet the financial demands required to access it.
• Women face significant discrimination and human rights abuses within the justice system, particularly in rural areas regarding marriage, property, and inheritance. Despite the 2007 passage of 'Gender Justice Laws'—including the Domestic Violence Act, the Devolution of Estate Act, and the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act—violence and illegal punishments by local chiefs persist.
• Juveniles in conflict with the law experience undue delays and poor conditions. There is no fixed court for juvenile proceedings, and only one magistrate handles such cases, often leading to children being tried as adults in open court without privacy.
• The justice sector was severely eroded by the rebel war and post-colonial political instability, leading to a loss of public faith in the legal system. The Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2004) identified the mismanagement of the justice sector and unfair trials as catalysts for the civil war.
• To address the shortage of lawyers and the geographical skew of legal services toward urban areas, various NGOs and international bodies have implemented paralegal training programs. Organizations such as Timap for Justice, LAWCLA, and the National Forum for Human Rights have trained paralegals to provide legal education and mediation in rural communities.
• Institutional reforms have been launched with UNDP support to address functional weaknesses, including the establishment of the Justice Sector Reform Secretariat and the Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission (HRCSL). However, the HRCSL's sustainability is threatened by its financial dependence on external donors.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2009). Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008. https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/01-may-2009-monograph-no-160-sierra-leone.-a-country-review-of-crime-and-criminal-justice-2008-african-human-security-initiative/chapter-6-access-to-justice

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008. 2009. https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/01-may-2009-monograph-no-160-sierra-leone.-a-country-review-of-crime-and-criminal-justice-2008-african-human-security-initiative/chapter-6-access-to-justice.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008 |date=May 2009 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/01-may-2009-monograph-no-160-sierra-leone.-a-country-review-of-crime-and-criminal-justice-2008-african-human-security-initiative/chapter-6-access-to-justice |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2009sierra, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2009}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/crime-and-criminal-justice/01-may-2009-monograph-no-160-sierra-leone.-a-country-review-of-crime-and-criminal-justice-2008-african-human-security-initiative/chapter-6-access-to-justice}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }