By Amin Kef-Ranger
President Julius Maada Bio has fulfilled his commitment to implement Sierra Leone’s first Cyber Investigative Directorate (CID) which gives the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) the capability to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes and crimes committed using the internet.
The CID was commissioned recently and consists of multiple teams of Sierra Leone Police officers who have been trained and certified in leading state-of-the-art cyber and digital forensics systems.
According to cyber forensics experts from the United States, very few nations have this expertise making Sierra Leone one of the global leaders in cyber Investigative capability.
The CID’s cyber forensic systems will be used to fight all types of crimes that involve the use of the internet, the dark web, and analog and cellular networks including humans, weapons, drug, and contraband trafficking, extortion, identify theft, financial and BITCOIN fraud, sexual assault, robbery and homicide committed by organized gangs, cartel, organized crime, terrorist organizations, and individuals.
The implementation of the CIU was the vision of President Maada Bio, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ambrose Michael Sovula, and the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency, Ambassador Sidique Abubakarr Wai.
Ambassador Wai initiated an investigation into cyber technologies to fulfill their vision and brought in experts from the United States led by Jerry W Torres who is a retired US Special Forces Soldier and global leader in cyber Investigative methodologies. Torres also a dedicated philanthropist, provided donations to help build the 34 military hospital complex in Freetown under First Lady Madam Fatima Bio’s “Hands off our Girls” program to treat victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The Cyber Forensics Unit complies with Sierra Leone’s Cyber Security and Crime Act of 2021.
