Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara JFK, has called for urgent reforms to Sierra Leone’s criminal justice system, citing prolonged pretrial detention, court delays and overcrowding in correctional facilities following his recent experience at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road.
In a commentary titled “The Cries for Justice Behind Bars,” Kamara said spending nearly a week in detention had given him a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by inmates, particularly those held on remand while awaiting trial.
Kamara, who previously served as Senior State Counsel, Deputy Prosecutor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, said his professional experience had exposed him to weaknesses in the justice system. However, he argued that experiencing incarceration firsthand revealed the human consequences of delays in judicial proceedings.
He cited figures indicating that Sierra Leone’s correctional facilities, originally designed to accommodate slightly more than 2,000 inmates, now hold more than 5,000 people. He noted that a significant proportion of the population consists of remand prisoners who have not been convicted of any offence.
Reflecting on his tenure as Attorney-General, Kamara recalled efforts to ease overcrowding by securing the release of hundreds of detainees facing weak charges or held without indictment. He also highlighted collaboration with the Legal Aid Board that facilitated reviews of more than 1,500 cases and resulted in the release of numerous inmates.
However, he argued that the continued prevalence of prolonged detention showed that previous interventions had failed to address the underlying challenges.
“What changed was not my understanding of the law, but my understanding of what the law feels like when it is delayed,” he wrote.
Kamara described detention as a prolonged period of uncertainty for inmates, many of whom face difficulties accessing legal representation, attending court hearings, receiving visits from relatives and obtaining updates on their cases.
He also warned that overcrowding places additional pressure on correctional facilities, affecting inmates’ living conditions, sanitation and general welfare.
Beyond the conditions inside prisons, Kamara argued that holding people for extended periods without trial undermines the principle that individuals should not be treated as guilty before a court determines their cases. He added that overcrowded facilities face greater difficulties in fulfilling their rehabilitation responsibilities, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and public safety.
To address these challenges, Kamara proposed regular statutory reviews of remand cases, increased resources for the courts and the Legal Aid Board, dedicated remand courts and stronger case management systems. He also called for faster disclosure of evidence and greater use of alternatives to incarceration, including community service and effective bail arrangements.
He maintained that reducing unnecessary detention would not weaken efforts to combat crime but would help ensure that justice is administered lawfully and efficiently.
“As a former prosecutor, I know public safety matters,” Kamara stated. “These reforms are not soft on crime. They are hard on delay, illegality and neglect.”
Kamara urged policymakers and justice sector institutions to prioritise detainees who lack the financial resources, influence or legal assistance needed to navigate court proceedings.
He concluded that the effectiveness of Sierra Leone’s criminal justice system should be measured not by the experiences of prominent individuals in detention, but by whether ordinary inmates can obtain timely and fair hearings.