SLP Strengthens SGBV Investigations Through Specialised Training for 40 FSU Officers
Aminata Koroma The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has intensified efforts to improve the handling of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and inheritance-related abuse cases following a specialised capacity-building training for 40 Family Support Unit (FSU) investigators drawn from across the country.
The one-day training, organised by LAWYERS with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Spotlight Initiative, focused on strengthening investigators’ ability to conduct professional, evidence-based and survivor-centred investigations.
Held at the Buxton Memorial Hall on Charles Street in Freetown, the training brought together investigators to examine key aspects of handling SGBV and inheritance-related abuse cases, including victim engagement, evidence collection and preservation, interviewing techniques, case preparation and prosecution.
Participants also received training on relevant legal frameworks, prosecutorial decision-making, inter-agency collaboration, referral mechanisms, confidentiality and professional accountability.
The sessions placed particular emphasis on the need for investigators to protect the dignity, safety and rights of survivors while ensuring that cases are handled with impartiality, professionalism and sensitivity.
Speaking on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, the Head of the Family Support Unit, Superintendent Mohamed S. Y. Mansaray, commended LAWYERS and UNDP for their continued support in strengthening the operational capacity of the Sierra Leone Police.
He stressed that continuous professional development is essential to ensuring that FSU investigators discharge their responsibilities with integrity, compassion and professionalism.
“This training is both timely and essential. Survivors deserve dignity, compassion and professionalism. Every officer has a duty to uphold the law, protect the vulnerable and ensure that justice is served,” Superintendent Mansaray stated.
He encouraged the participating officers to apply the knowledge and practical skills acquired to improve investigative practices, strengthen case management and provide better support to victims throughout the justice process.
The training comes amid continued concerns over SGBV and other forms of abuse in Sierra Leone, particularly those affecting women, girls and other vulnerable groups. Strengthening the capacity of investigators is considered crucial to improving access to justice, ensuring accountability and addressing weaknesses in the handling of reported cases.
The initiative also supports the Inspector-General of Police’s Force to Service agenda, which seeks to promote professional, accountable, responsive and people-centred policing.
The Sierra Leone Police, through its Family Support Unit Directorate, reaffirmed its commitment to working with development partners and other institutions to strengthen the response to SGBV and ensure that survivors receive appropriate protection and access to justice.
The participating officers were urged to uphold confidentiality, impartiality and respect for survivors’ rights in carrying out their duties.