Judiciary Communications, Radisson Blu Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown, 24th May 2022: The Judiciary of Sierra Leone through the Judicial and Legal Training Institute (JLTI) in Collaboration with the National Cyber Security Coordination Centre and the OCWAR-Project have commenced a 4-day Judicial Training on Cybercrime and Collecting of Electronic Evidence for 20 Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature.
In his statement, the Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards stated that, “Having been in the Country’s Legal system for 32 years, I clearly do not recall any Judicial training organized by any institution or authority.”
He added that the issue of Cyber Security and Cybercrime is relatively new phenomenon which had gripped the world since the advent of the New Millennium and we in Sierra Leone and Africa are in no small measure trying to come to grips with it.
He said the training is a necessity which is apt to modern day occurrences and technologies of life.
He reminded his audience that throughout his tenure as Chief Justice, he has organised capacity building as one of the hallmarks for an effective and efficient Judiciary with the Judicial and Legal Training Institute under the Directorate of Supreme Court Judge, Hon. Justice Emmanuel Ekundayo Roberts which has delivered cutting edge state of the art continuing professional development.
“Our training here falls within this strategic priority,” the Chief Justice said, noting that the training here wouldn’t only be training those who will be implementing the Act to the letter by the cases that do come up for hearings but also those that would be undertaking training to be so equipped as to become trainers and pass on “the great legacy we shall be receiving the few days.”
The Head of European Union, Amb. Manuel Müller, said the EU welcomes that Sierra Leone and Countries of the region continue to make steps to strengthen governance and endow Sierra Leone with a sound legal framework to mitigate Cyber Security threats and eradicating Cybercrime.
The Sierra Leone Cybercrime Act, he continued, which came into force in 2021 goes a long way to harmonising the domestic legal framework of the country and other international agreements.
“It has been an important signal to the region and the international community of the country’s commitment to fighting Cybercrime,” said Amb. Müller.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Solomon Jamiru Esq explained that the training as the first of series of trainings which seek to, together with strengthening digital forensic tools and incidence monitoring and response, will no doubt crystallise in creating the resilience needed.
He went further to state that as a Ministry, they are indebted to the EU, Council of Europe, ECOWAS Commission, OCWAR-Project for the numerous strands of support provided.
“We have no doubt that we will forge ahead with one direction,…we will broaden our ambition and be smarter, more innovative and be more empowered than the rogues in the Cyber space,” Deputy Minister of Information and Communications affirmed.
In his keynote address, the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh highlighted the opportunities and nemesis of the digital revolution.
According to him, Cyberspace and new technologies create new ways of thinking that defined novel realities and relationships.
He asserted that these new opportunities are accompanied with immense responsibilities to ensure that the cyber space is not abused and used to trample on the rights of others or threaten social peace and institutional safety.
Dr. Juldeh Jalloh thanked the Judiciary’s JLTI and the Ministry of Information and Communications for organising a training on the Act.
