By Alimatu Jalloh
Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone, March 7, 2025: The Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Lordship Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda, officially opened the Sexual Offenses Model Court in Bo, marking the first of its kind in the Southern region and the third in the country.
The resident High Court Judge in Bo District, Hon. Justice Francis Banks-Kamara, who chaired the occasion, emphasized that the UNICEF-sponsored project aims to provide an enabling environment where young victims and vulnerable witnesses can go through the judicial process with dignity and self-esteem intact.
In his keynote address, Chief Justice Kamanda underscored the importance of this landmark event in the country’s criminal justice system. He expressed confidence that the new court would adopt a victim-friendly approach to handling sexual offense matters and reiterated his commitment to strengthening the criminal justice system.
“The leadership of the Judiciary has developed guidelines for handling vulnerable witnesses and victims in sexual offenses, ensuring that judicial staff are well-equipped to manage such cases,” Chief Justice Kamanda said. He also expressed gratitude to UNICEF for its positive contributions to the country’s criminal justice system over the years.
Supreme Court Judge, Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay, highlighted the judiciary’s dedication to its mission and lauded UNICEF for its timely support. He noted that the Chief Justice is determined to replicate this initiative in other major towns, including Makeni, Kono, Kambia, and Kenema.
Representing the Resident Minister, Provincial Secretary Abu Bakarr Kamara affirmed the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to democratic good governance and an independent judiciary. He described sexual penetration and related offenses as heinous crimes against humanity and assured full support for the court’s operations.
State Counsel for the Southern Region, Augustin Sheku, emphasized that the court’s establishment not only aims to protect children’s rights but also to ensure fair trials and expedited case handling.
Paramount Chief Joe Kangbai Marcakarvoray of Tikonko Chiefdom praised the court’s establishment as a strategic infrastructure for the justice sector and assured that public education efforts would inform residents about the court’s role in handling sexual offense cases.
Also present at the ceremony were Hon. Justices Fatmata Bintu Alhadi (JA) and Tonia Barnett (JA).