By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — A leading civil society organisation has raised alarm over what it describes as a “catastrophic breakdown” of human rights and institutional safeguards inside Sierra Leone’s correctional facilities, following a monitoring visit to prisons in the capital.
The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) says its 17th February 2026 inspection of facilities managed by the Sierra Leone Correctional Services (SLCS) uncovered prolonged detentions without indictment, extreme overcrowding, failing health systems and collapsing security infrastructure.
In a statement released on Thursday, the group warned that the country’s prisons are operating in conditions “unfit for human living” and called for urgent government intervention.
Detained for Years Without Trial
Among the most troubling findings are allegations that hundreds of detainees are being held without formal indictment, some for more than four years.
According to CHRDI, 76 men and 17 women are currently in “safe custody” without official records explaining the basis of their detention. An additional 385 male detainees and 36 female detainees are reportedly being held beyond legally permissible periods without indictment, contrary to the Criminal Procedure Act and international due process standards.
The group says most of those affected lack legal representation.
Judicial delays further compound the crisis. At the male correctional facility in Freetown, 13 cases were awaiting reserved judgments, while 205 inmates were on prolonged adjournments stretching from 2016 to 2025.
“This effectively means some detainees are serving sentences before conviction,” a CHRDI representative told reporters, describing the situation as a “legal vacuum”.
The organisation also reported that one of 29 foreign nationals detained at the male facility died in February 2026, with no official explanation provided to monitors regarding the cause of death.
Overcrowding Beyond Capacity
The scale of overcrowding paints a stark picture.
The main male correctional facility, originally built to house 324 inmates, currently holds 1,802, according to official records reviewed during the visit. Cells designed for single occupancy are reportedly accommodating as many as 13 inmates.
Such congestion makes it nearly impossible to maintain basic hygiene or prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
At the female facility, CHRDI documented 8 children aged between 0 and 2 years living with incarcerated mothers — a reminder of how prison conditions affect the most vulnerable.
Water, Food and Medical Shortages
Monitors described severe shortages of clean water and inadequate nutrition. Intermittent water supply has rendered sanitation facilities “deplorable,” raising public health concerns in already overcrowded spaces.
Healthcare provision appears equally strained. CHRDI reports that 97 male inmates and 15 female inmates are HIV-positive, while 26 male inmates have tested positive for tuberculosis (TB).
At the time of the visit, 15 inmates were admitted to a makeshift hospital inside the male facility. The clinic reportedly has 16 beds for a population exceeding 1,000 inmates and lacks adequate medical equipment and supplies.
The female unit has five hospital beds for more than 200 inmates, staffed by five nurses — sometimes with only one nurse on duty.
The organisation also documented 11 cases of mental illness across the facilities — nine men and two women — with what it described as “improper care” and limited psychiatric support.
Failing Security Systems
Beyond humanitarian concerns, CHRDI warned of security risks stemming from broken surveillance equipment and outdated infrastructure.
According to the group, several CCTV cameras and security scanners are non-functional. Correctional staff are reportedly exposed to naked electrical cables, while fire extinguishers are old and poorly maintained.
“These failures endanger both inmates and officers,” the organisation stated, warning that such vulnerabilities could trigger unrest or accidents in already volatile environments.
Calls for Reform
CHRDI has urged the Government of Sierra Leone to fast-track indictments and release detainees held unlawfully beyond statutory limits. It also called for emergency repairs to security systems, improved access to food, water and healthcare, and structural reforms to address overcrowding.
The group specifically referenced recommendations previously made by the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), advocating decentralisation and modernisation of correctional facilities, many of which date back to the colonial era.
“No nation can claim progress if its correctional facilities remain centres of human degradation,” said Abdul M. Fatoma, Chief Executive of CHRDI. “Justice must be more than a legislative promise; it must be a functional reality for every Sierra Leonean.”
The government and the Sierra Leone Correctional Services have yet to issue a formal response to the allegations.
For a country still navigating post-conflict reforms and economic recovery, the state of its prisons has once again become a litmus test for the strength of its justice system — and its commitment to human dignity.
