Chief Justice Advocates for Responsible AI Integration in Judiciary
Sierra Leone’s Judiciary has expressed its commitment to adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to enhance public access to justice and legal information. Chief Justice Komba Kamanda made the announcement during a keynote address at the International Day for Universal Access to Information event held at NaTCA Tower in Freetown on Thursday.
Speaking under the national event theme, “AI, Justice and the Rule of Law,” Justice Kamanda emphasized that technological advancements are fundamentally reshaping how public institutions operate and deliver essential services to citizens. He underscored that the judicial system must evolve to ensure justice remains accessible, transparent, and trusted by the public.
According to the Chief Justice, integrating AI tools into judicial infrastructure offers key operational benefits, including streamlined case management, enhanced legal research capabilities, and improved public availability of court decisions and administrative services.
However, Justice Kamanda urged a balanced approach, warning that technological adoption must be governed by constitutional principles and institutional mandates. He stressed the necessity of building a human-centered, technologically enabled legal framework that safeguards the rule of law while promoting transparency.
In alignment with the Judiciary’s initiative, Mohamed Moumini Jalloh, Professional Head of the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, noted that the nation's primary focus must shift toward deploying AI responsibly to generate tangible public benefits.
Deputy Justice Minister Saptieu E. Saccoh further reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating across sectors to establish robust frameworks for responsible AI deployment.
Representing international legal standards, Guilherme Canela, UNESCO Director for Inclusion, Policies and Digital Transformation, highlighted ongoing efforts to train legal sector professionals on AI tools.
Canela referenced UNESCO’s global guidelines for AI in judicial settings as an essential ethical and operational benchmark for court systems worldwide.
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