Deputy Minister of Justice Urges People-Centred Approach to AI in Justice Sector
By Abu Bakarr Thaimu Sesay
Deputy Minister of Justice Madam Saptieu Elizabeth Saccoh has called for a people-centred approach to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sierra Leone’s justice sector, stressing that technological innovation must ultimately improve access to justice for ordinary citizens.
She made the call on Thursday 1st October, 2026 at NatCA House in Freetown during a Post-Conference Mixer on “AI, Justice and the Rule of Law,” jointly organised by the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and UNESCO.
The engagement brought together senior judicial officials, government representatives, legal practitioners and international partners to examine the opportunities and risks associated with AI and its growing role in the administration of justice.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Saccoh said the discussion was particularly timely following the observance of the International Day for Universal Access to Information on Monday 28th September, 2026.
She said the commemoration should go beyond recognising access to information as a principle and should instead encourage institutions to examine what the principle requires of government, lawyers and judicial officers as AI increasingly influences how information flows, decisions are made and justice is delivered.
According to Madam Saccoh, the partnership between the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and UNESCO demonstrates that AI governance cannot be treated solely as a technology sector issue.
She said it must equally involve the justice sector, legal institutions and the judiciary, particularly institutions responsible for protecting rights, enforcing the law and ensuring that citizens are not excluded from systems designed to serve them.
Drawing on her previous experience as Administrator and Registrar General, Saccoh said she had witnessed how the quality and accessibility of legal infrastructure could directly affect people’s economic and social participation.
She explained that individuals seeking to establish land ownership or formalise businesses could sometimes face difficulties not because the law itself was inaccessible, but because the systems through which citizens interact with government were difficult to navigate.
“For me, access to information in that context is not abstract,” she said, emphasising that citizens need practical and understandable avenues through which they can access government and justice services.
The Deputy Minister said Sierra Leone was therefore pursuing a broader understanding of justice as a public service, with citizens able to access assistance through different mechanisms, including paralegals, community-level structures, mediation centres and justice hubs.
She stressed that technology should complement these mechanisms rather than create additional barriers.
Saccoh challenged participants to ensure that the outcome of discussions on AI was not simply another sophisticated policy document, but a shared understanding of what AI could realistically do for Sierra Leone’s justice system, what risks needed to be managed and what practical steps should follow.
She urged participants to consider the needs of people who may have limited access to technology, including citizens in remote communities, paralegals working far from Freetown and magistrates dealing with case backlogs without adequate digital tools or legal research support.
She said every recommendation emerging from the engagement should be tested against a fundamental question: “Does this help that person?”
Her comments placed access to justice and inclusion at the centre of the country’s emerging conversation on AI, rather than focusing solely on technological advancement.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation Mohamed Mouminie Jalloh said Sierra Leone’s focus should no longer be on whether AI was coming, but on how the country could prepare to harness it responsibly and inclusively.
He identified legal research, document management, case administration, transcription, translation and the organisation of large volumes of information as areas where AI could potentially support justice institutions.
However, he stressed that AI should augment the work of judges, lawyers and public officials rather than replace human judgment.
Chief Justice Justice Komba Kamanda similarly said AI must remain a tool in the service of justice and not become an authority above the law.
He identified judicial independence, due process, equality before the law, privacy, transparency, accountability and human dignity as principles that must remain protected as the judiciary embraces emerging technologies.
The Chief Justice also called for collaboration between the Judiciary, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Communucation, Technology and Innovation, UNESCO, academia, technology experts, the media and civil society to develop practical solutions for responsible AI adoption.
Guilherme Canela, UNESCO Director of Digital Inclusion, Policies and Digital Transformation, said AI presented opportunities for the justice sector but cautioned against either rejecting the technology or adopting it without adequate safeguards.
He linked the discussion to the broader principles of human rights, development and peace and security, arguing that the rule of law was fundamental to achieving those objectives.
Canela also emphasised the importance of transparency and access to information in maintaining trust and integrity within judicial institutions.
The engagement forms part of a broader collaboration between Sierra Leone and UNESCO on access to information, digital inclusion and responsible governance of emerging technologies.
The organisers said the discussions were intended to help move the national conversation on AI from general discussion of its possibilities and risks towards practical approaches that can improve public services while protecting citizens’ rights.
For Deputy Minister Saccoh, the measure of success will ultimately be whether technological innovation makes the justice system more accessible and useful to the people it is intended to serve.
