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The Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Komba Kamanda, has officially commissioned a new Sexual Offences Model Court in Makeni City, marking a major step in the country’s fight against sexual violence.
The court is equipped with modern facilities, including a specialised registry, judge’s chambers, victim-protection witness box, child-friendly waiting room, and television, providing a safe environment for survivors, especially children, to testify.
In his keynote address, Chief Justice Kamanda stressed the importance of prevention through community education, saying, “Let’s prevent it rather than focus on the cure, which can never undo the damage caused to the child.” He thanked UNICEF for its support and urged the organisation to help establish more such courts nationwide.
Resident High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Abubakarr Sannoh, described the commissioning as “appropriately timely,” highlighting the previous challenges survivors faced. Paramount Chief of Gbanti Chiefdom, Hon. PC Massa Yeli Tharm III, called the event historic and pledged his support for the court’s work.
UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Nassal Millicent Kebbie reiterated the organisation’s commitment to child justice, saying, “When children and families can trust the system to protect them, it strengthens the fabric of society.”
The event was attended by senior judicial officials and the Resident Minister for the North-East Region, Mr. Ibrahim Jalloh, who pledged ongoing collaboration to combat violence against women and children.
The Makeni Sexual Offences Model Court represents a significant advance in ensuring timely justice for survivors and holding perpetrators accountable.
