By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
The Fifth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone has on Tuesday 22nd November 2022 enacted the National Security and Central Intelligence Act of 2022 into law after crucial amendments of several parts of the act.
The act which was successfully enacted into law is a repeal of the 2002 act whose cardinal function is to provide for the internal and external security of Sierra Leone and to provide for other related matters.
Chief Minister of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Jacob Jusu Saffa who presented the act for third reading was very pleased that the act was able to pass into law despite several limbs being omitted.
During the process of reading before passing the bill, Hon. Mark Mahmoud Kalokoh increased the jail term for a person who contravened clause 45 of the act which talks about disclosure of security information from a minimum of 10 years to a stated term of 15 years in imprisonment and that was unanimously agreed by the Hon. Members of Parliament.
Leader of NGC in Parliament, Hon. Kandeh K. Yaumkella highlighted that the extension of the bill to cover food insecurity is extraneous and admonished that agriculture should not be included in that bill saying, “this is not the right place for that.” He however maintained that Cyber Security, Social Welfare Youth and other related ministries are integral to the bill.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh on the other hand expressed serious concern that food insecurity is very pertinent and that it should not be left behind but be included in the bill. He added that food security is an emergency concern all over the world and it should be taken seriously by adding it to the bill.
The Acting Leader of Government Business raised concern on the security of tenure of office over the clause incompetence as a means of removing someone from office. He elucidated that the word incompetence should be further justified as minor mistakes could be used to mean incompetence and unjustly remove someone from office. He recommended the justification of the word for the sake of clarity.
He also disclosed that getting a warrant from a high court judge as the clause stipulates could be very complicated and that he recommended that the procedure of getting a warrant through a magistrate maintains simplicity and timelines.