By Josephine Sesay

Chief Justice Komba Kamanda has reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthening Sierra Leone’s legal and institutional response to money laundering, terrorism financing, corruption and other forms of transnational organised crimes.

The assurance was given during a meeting with high-level delegation from the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for West Africa (ARINWA), where discussions focused on strengthening Sierra Leone’s asset recovery and management framework to enhance the country’s capacity to trace, recover and manage the proceeds of crime were held.

Addressing the delegation, Chief Justice Kamanda underscored the importance of an effective asset recovery system in ensuring that criminals are deprived of the financial gains from their illegal activities.

“Crime should never pay,” the Chief Justice declared.

He noted that a robust asset recovery regime is essential to promoting accountability, transparency, the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system. He added that strengthening legal mechanisms for tracing, confiscating and managing criminal assets would reinforce the country’s fight against corruption, organised crime and illicit financial flows.

The Chief Justice further stressed that effective asset recovery serves not only as a deterrent to criminal activity but also as a vital tool for safeguarding national institutions and protecting the country’s economy and governance systems from exploitation by criminal networks.

The ARINWA delegation include the organisation’s President and Director General of Senegal’s National Office for the Recovery of Criminal Assets, Mor Ndiaye; Permanent Secretary Kadiatou Ly Sangaré; and Assistant Permanent Secretary Charles Ballet. The delegation was led by the Director of Sierra Leone’s Financial Intelligence Agency, David N. Borbor.

The engagement also underscored Sierra Leone’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and aligning its legal and judicial systems with international best practices in combating financial and organised crime.

The meeting forms part of broader efforts by West African countries to enhance collaboration in tracing, recovering and managing assets derived from criminal activities through improved information sharing, institutional capacity building and coordinated cross-border actions.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 8th July 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)