Sierra Leone’s Chief Justice, His Lordship Honourable Justice Komba Kamanda, has reaffirmed the Judiciary’s readiness to embrace technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), as a means of improving the administration of justice and expanding public access to information.
Chief Justice Komba Kamanda gave the assurance on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at an event marking the International Day for Universal Access to Information at the NaTCA Tower, Southridge, Freetown.
Speaking on the theme, “AI, Justice and the Rule of Law,” the Chief Justice said AI is no longer a distant technological concept confined to laboratories and technology companies, but is increasingly influencing the operations of Governments and public institutions.
“It is increasingly becoming part of how Governments communicate, how citizens access information, how institutions manage knowledge and how justice institutions can improve the delivery of justice,” Chief Justice Komba Kamanda said.
He noted that the Judiciary has a fundamental responsibility to ensure that justice is not only delivered but remains accessible, understandable and trusted by the people it serves.
According to him, AI tools are already providing opportunities for judiciaries around the world to improve access to judgments and other legal materials, strengthen legal research, facilitate public access to court information, enhance case management systems and make judicial services more accessible to citizens.
While reaffirming the Judiciary’s preparedness to embrace technological advancement, Chief Justice Komba Kamanda stressed that such transformation must be guided by constitutional and institutional responsibilities.
He called for a justice system that is technologically enabled while remaining open, accessible, transparent, human-centred and firmly anchored in the rule of law.
Earlier, the Chief Director and Professional Head of the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Mohamed Moumini Jalloh, said AI is rapidly transforming the way Governments operate, institutions manage information and citizens access public services.
He said the question for Sierra Leone is no longer whether AI is coming, but how the country prepares to harness the technology responsibly and inclusively to deliver tangible benefits to its people.
Deputy Minister of Justice, Madam Saptieu E. Saccoh, also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with relevant institutions to promote the responsible adoption and use of AI.
UNESCO Director for Inclusion, Policies and Digital Transformation, Guilherme Canela, said UNESCO is focusing on supporting the training of justice-sector professionals in the application of AI tools in courts and tribunals.
He disclosed that UNESCO has developed guidelines for the use of AI in courts and tribunals, describing them as the first globally oriented ethical and operational framework of their kind.
The commemoration placed the growing relationship between technology, access to information and the administration of justice at the centre of discussions, as Sierra Leone considers how emerging technologies can be incorporated into public institutions while protecting transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
