Crime in Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is the main national body for preventing and investigating crime. Its Crime Services and Criminal Investigation Department handle general investigations. The Family Support Unit (FSU) deals with women and children cases, including domestic violence, sexual offences and child offences. The Cyber Investigation Unit and Cyber Lab handle digital crime, while the Transnational Organized Crime Unit addresses transnational and organised crime. The Anti-Land Grabbing Unit can be relevant when land disputes develop into threats or violence. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency handles drug offences, and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs supports child protection and gender-based violence coordination. The SLP recorded 30,491 criminal and accident cases in 2023. The reported categories included 10,063 cases involving women and children, 7,033 property cases, 3,992 economic cases, 3,953 road-traffic cases, 3,827 cases against persons and 1,435 public-order cases. The Western Area recorded 62% of all cases and had a reported crime index of 542 per 100,000 people, compared with 168 in the North, 185 in the South and 151 in the East. These figures describe reports received by the police, not the actual prevalence of crime. Community policing, Local Policing Partnership Boards, Community Safety Volunteers, community meetings, intelligence-led policing, checkpoints and public awareness activities support prevention. Community, chiefdom and religious leaders may help with referrals or informal mediation, but they do not reliably replace a formal police report. Informal handling can weaken evidence or reduce the chance of criminal investigation. Do not confront a suspected offender. Keep messages, photographs, documents, payment records and other evidence safe, and record when and where the incident occurred. For an emergency, current SLP information lists 900. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office lists 117 for ambulance, fire and police, while older SLP material lists 112. Because published numbers are inconsistent, use 900 where possible and confirm the working emergency number locally. For a non-urgent report, contact the nearest police station. Carry identification or a passport copy. A police report fee may apply to foreign nationals, but the research basis states that no fee is payable without a crime reference number. Do not pay an individual officer directly; use the SLP Revenue Generation Fund or Bank of Sierra Leone payment system and keep the receipt. Victims of gender-based or sexual violence can call 116 free of charge through Orange, Africell or Qcell. The FSU and the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs can support reporting, medical examination and treatment, medical reporting, psychosocial counselling, legal support and, depending on the case, temporary shelter. One Stop Centres operate in Kailahun, Moyamba, Pujehun, Port Loko, Koinadugu and Karene. Rainbo and other organisations provide support in some districts. No public reporting deadline was identified, but prompt reporting can improve access to medical care, evidence preservation and protection. The FSU handles child-offence cases, and the Directorate of Children’s Affairs supports protection from abuse, violence and exploitation. In 2023, FSU records included 7,927 domestic-violence cases, 323 child-offence cases and 1,813 sexual-offence cases. A single nationwide public intake and rehabilitation process for young offenders was not clearly established in the available research, so the SLP or FSU, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Legal Aid Board should be contacted locally. The Cyber Security and Crime Act 2021 provides the legal framework for cybercrime. The National Computer Security Incident Response Coordination Centre, also called NC3, and the SLP Cyber Investigation Unit are involved in cyber incidents. The main reporting process is through the SLP rather than a separately confirmed public reporting platform. Preserve original messages, account details, transaction records, device information and screenshots without altering them. In 2022, the Cyber Crime Unit recorded 738 cases, including cases sent to court, referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, closed, kept under review and still under investigation. Short-term safety concerns are especially reported in Freetown and the Western Area, including pickpocketing and mugging around Congo Cross, Wilkinson Road, Lumley Beach, Aberdeen and beach resorts. Avoid walking alone at night, keep valuables and cash out of sight, arrange transport in advance and take extra care with taxis, poda-podas, kekes and ocadas. Secure property and consider a guard where the local risk justifies it. Treat an unofficial roadblock as different from a formal police checkpoint and seek a safe way to verify who is demanding access or payment. If police conduct causes death in custody, police firearm use, injury, assault, serious misconduct or a major loss of trust, the Independent Police Complaints Board can be relevant. The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone handles human-rights complaints. The Legal Aid Board may assist eligible people who cannot afford legal representation under the Legal Aid Act 2012. Land disputes should be handled with independent legal advice and, where relevant, the Anti-Land Grabbing Unit rather than threats or private enforcement.