Correctional Service Faces Transport Crisis Amid Fuel Shortage

Correctional Service Faces Transport Crisis Amid Fuel Shortage

A fuel shortage prevented the Sierra Leone Correctional Service from transporting inmates to court from August 17 to August 19, 2026, according to the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law Sierra Leone (CARL-SL).

CARL-SL warned that the three-day operational disruption threatens prisoners’ constitutional rights to a fair and timely trial, cautioning that logistical failures risk prolonging detention and undermining trust in the judicial system.

The civil society organization highlighted broader systemic issues, pointing to allegations that the Sierra Leonean Government has failed to disburse allocated operational funds to the Correctional Service since early 2026. This prolonged financial deficit has severely constrained the agency’s essential logistics and administrative capacity.

Urging immediate intervention, CARL-SL called on state authorities to resolve the fuel crisis, release necessary funding, and investigate the administrative bottlenecks affecting inmate transport to prevent further delays in court proceedings.