At the week-long 16th Session of the Inter-Governmental Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption, held in Vienna, the Coordinator of Operations at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Patrick Sandi, who also served as Head of the Sierra Leone Delegation, delivered a comprehensive update on Sierra Leone’s recent advancements in judicial integrity, ethics, and reform of the criminal justice system.
In his address on Friday, 20th June 2025, Mr. Sandi emphasized the vital role of the judiciary in dispensing justice, particularly in the prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences. He noted that Sierra Leone, through its Special Anti-Corruption Court with dedicated Judges and the ACC’s independent prosecutorial powers, has established strong collaborative efforts between the Judiciary and the Commission to ensure that justice is served and offenders are held accountable in accordance with the law.
Mr. Sandi underscored that judicial integrity and ethical conduct are crucial pillars that sustain public trust in the criminal justice system. He warned that a judiciary lacking in integrity poses a significant threat to the enforcement of anti-corruption laws and undermines the broader justice system.
He highlighted several landmark reforms undertaken by Sierra Leone, including the launch of the Justice Sector Reform Strategy 2024–2030, which serves as a comprehensive blueprint aimed at enhancing justice service delivery, improving case management, strengthening human rights compliance, and expanding access to justice for all citizens.
In a major legislative update, Mr. Sandi informed delegates that Sierra Leone has reviewed and replaced its outdated Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 with the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024, complete with accompanying regulations laid before Parliament. This reform marks a significant milestone in modernizing the country’s criminal justice framework.
Additionally, he pointed out that the Judiciary has adopted Sentencing Guidelines, developed in collaboration with the Pro Bono Network–UK, to enhance consistency and transparency in judicial decisions. Other institutional tools, such as the Judiciary’s Service Delivery Charter and Integrity Management Committee (IMC), further reflect the country’s commitment to ensuring that corruption-related matters are addressed with fairness and integrity.
Mr. Sandi also reported on Sierra Leone’s progress towards the digitalization of the judiciary. This initiative is aligned with the broader development of an Integrated Digital Strategy for all law enforcement and justice sector institutions, aimed to improving efficiency and accountability across the board.
Despite these commendable strides, Mr. Sandi acknowledged that Sierra Leone’s judiciary still requires additional capacity-building support, peer learning opportunities, and logistical reinforcement to sustain and deepen the ongoing reforms.
The 16th Working Group Session and Implementation Review Group meeting concluded on Friday, 20th June 2025, following a series of productive deliberations and knowledge exchanges that will further assist State Parties in combating corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, and other transnational crimes.
