Sierra Leone

Published in 2024

Legal sources

Executive Summary

In July 2020, a liberal movement began in Sierra Leone marked by the repeal of restrictive media criminal laws on defamation and seditious libel. President Julius Maada Bio affirmed the government’s commitment “to allow the development of a free and robust media” in November of that year. The movement was further exemplified by the abolishment of the death penalty in 2021 and the government’s will to enact a law to protect human rights defenders.

Regrettably, Sierra Leone does not have a stand-alone law that sets out guidelines for whistleblowers and ensures their protections. Nevertheless, blowing the whistle is incentivized through a reward program outlined in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

Despite the government’s efforts, Sierra Leone remains “partly free”, as rated by Freedom House with a score of 65/100 in 2022.

Laws and measures related to whistleblowers

The Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 and its provisions for informers and witnesses

Sierra Leone does not have a law dedicated to whistleblowers. Thus, the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 is the only relevant legal instrument for their protection. Most provisions of the Act provide protection for informers and witnesses.

As an example, Section 82 (2) of the Act provides protection to workers in the public sector to the extent that when “a public officer discloses to his superior officer or to the Commissioner that an […] offence may have occurred within the public body in which he is employed”, he shall incur no “civil or criminal liability” nor “disciplinary sanctions” because of his disclosures.

Although the provision does not include the term “whistleblower,” it could still be invoked to get protection.

Other protective measures intended to witnesses are the following: immunity of witnesses from criminal or civil proceedings based on their disclosures (Section 85 of the Act); sanction to any form of retaliation against them with a fine, imprisonment or both (Section 82 (5)) and the benefit of a witness protection program (Section 83).

Protective provisions for witnesses could be applied to whistleblowers if they agree to testify before a court.

Despite the lack of a specific legislation to protect whistleblowers, their disclosures are encouraged by the Act since it provides financial incentives: “a person who gives information that results in the conviction of another person, of an offense under this Act shall be paid ten percent of the proceeds of any property forfeited as a result of the conviction” (Section 81 (3)).

The 2019 Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Act, passed by the Sierra Leone Parliament on October 31, 2019, enhances the authority of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in combating corruption. It introduces stiffer penalties for offenses, bolsters safeguards for witnesses and whistleblowers, offers non-prosecution options for the ACC, and broadens the definition of corruption to encompass both giving and receiving advantages, including offering, soliciting, obtaining, and receiving.

Knowledge, Support, and Action Centres

People’s Power Movement (PPM) is an NGO that “participates in campaigns by systematically applying knowledge and skills in nonviolent actions for change. It seeks cooperation with other civil society organizations that focus on anti-corruption, good governance, and social justice issues, and with relevant government agencies such as the Anti-Corruption commission of Sierra Leone.”

Contact :

C/o Foundation for Rural and Urban Transformation (FoRUT)

24E Main Motor Road, Congo Cross

Freetown Sierra Leone

Mob: +232 78 544 125 / +232 76 744 424

Email: peoplepowersl2019@gmail.com