The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, officially launched its 2025 Annual Crime Statistics Report during a press conference held at the Senior Police Officers’ Mess, Kingtom, Freetown.
The press briefing brought together senior police officials and members of the media to present an overview of the country’s crime trends and policing outcomes for the year under review.
During the event, the Director of Operations, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) John Martin Senesie, provided a synopsis of nationwide security-related activities undertaken by the police during the reporting period.
The Director of Corporate Affairs, AIG Esther Mary Kaintor-Dukuray, subsequently launched the 2025 Crime Statistics Report and delivered the executive summary, outlining key findings on crime patterns and trends across Sierra Leone.
According to the report, the Annual Crime Report provides a comprehensive overview of crimes recorded across the country in 2025 and serves as an important reference for shaping policing strategies, informing policy formulation and strengthening crime prevention initiatives.
Overall Crime Situation
In 2025, the Sierra Leone Police recorded a total of 34,066 criminal and road traffic offences, resulting in an overall crime rate of 0.38 percent, compared to 0.33 percent recorded in 2024.
This represents an increase of 0.05 percentage points, indicating a continued upward trend in crime nationwide.
Regional Crime Distribution
Crime incidence remained largely concentrated in urban and semi-urban areas, particularly within the Western Area, which accounted for approximately 59 percent of all reported cases.
The Freetown East Region recorded the highest number of offences with 11,603 cases, representing 34.1 percent of the national total. This was followed by the Freetown West Region with 8,487 cases, accounting for 24.9 percent.
Outside the Western Area, the Eastern Region recorded the highest number of cases with 4,249 offences, while the North West Region reported the lowest figure with 2,613 cases.
Offence Prevalence
Offences against Women and Children continued to dominate the national crime profile, with 15,188 reported cases, representing 44.6 percent of total crimes, highlighting persistent vulnerabilities affecting women and children.
This was followed by Offences Against Property, which recorded 6,848 cases or 20.1 percent of total crimes.
Economic Offences accounted for 4,469 cases (13.1 percent), while Offences Against the Person recorded 3,956 cases, representing 11.6 percent.
In addition, Road Traffic Accidents accounted for 2,071 cases, representing 6.1 percent of the total offences recorded during the period.
Crime Index (Per 100,000 Population)
Population-adjusted analysis revealed notable regional disparities in crime levels. The Western Area recorded the highest crime index, with 1,049 crimes per 100,000 population, significantly higher than the national average of 375 crimes per 100,000 population. This further confirms the concentration of crime within major metropolitan areas.
Public Order Related Offences
Violent crimes accounted for 44 percent of all reported offences in 2025, an increase from 34 percent recorded in 2024, reflecting a notable rise in violent criminal activities across the country.
Violent Crime Analysis
The report indicates that homicide cases increased from 150 in 2024 to 168 in 2025.
Regionally, Freetown West recorded the highest number of homicide cases with 43, followed by the North East Region with 35 cases. The Eastern Region recorded 28 cases, while both Freetown East and the Southern Region recorded 26 cases each.
At the divisional level, Bo West Division recorded the highest number of homicide cases with 13, followed by Kenema and Makeni Divisions with 11 cases each. Motema Division recorded 9 cases, while Kissy Division recorded 8 cases. Magburaka, Kabala, Harbour and Waterloo Divisions each recorded 7 cases, while Goderich Division recorded 6 cases.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters also handled 23 homicide cases, reflecting its central role in investigating serious and complex crimes.
Rape Cases
Rape cases investigated by the Family Support Unit (FSU) increased from 57 cases in 2024 to 78 cases in 2025.
Of these cases, 8 were charged to court, 2 were closed, 5 were kept in view, and 7 were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice. Meanwhile, 56 cases remain under investigation, indicating a significant investigative workload.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence cases recorded a significant increase from 7,456 cases in 2024 to 12,301 cases in 2025.
Out of these cases, 1,191 were charged to court, 1,044 were closed, and 1,652 were kept in view, while 8,414 cases remain under investigation, highlighting the scale and complexity of domestic violence incidents nationwide.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking cases increased slightly from 85 in 2024 to 91 in 2025.
According to the report, children accounted for 11 percent of victims, while adults constituted 89 percent. All cases were prosecuted, with convictions secured in court.
Robbery
Robbery cases rose from 138 cases in 2024 to 151 cases in 2025, with Freetown East recording the highest number of incidents, followed by Freetown West.
Assault
Assault cases increased significantly from 1,698 in 2024 to 2,133 in 2025. Freetown East recorded the highest number of cases, while the North East Region reported the lowest figures.
Crimes Against Property
Property-related crimes accounted for approximately 20 percent of the total crimes recorded in 2025. Freetown East recorded the highest number of property crime cases, followed by Freetown West, while the North East Region recorded the lowest number of such offences.
Drug-Related Offences
The report recorded 448 drug-related cases in 2025. Unlawful possession of Kush emerged as the most prevalent drug-related offence, particularly during the last quarter of the year.
This was followed by offences related to Tramadol and Cannabis, while cases involving cocaine and other drugs remained relatively low.
Cases recorded, 202 were charged to court, 27 resulted in convictions, and 148 cases involved drugs with no claimant, while the remaining cases are still under investigation.
Sexual Penetration
The Family Support Unit investigated 1,946 cases of Sexual Penetration of a Child in 2025, representing an increase from 1,520 cases recorded in 2024.
Of these cases, 133 were charged to court, 138 were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, 5 were closed, and 83 were kept in view, while 1,587 cases remain under investigation, highlighting the sensitive and complex nature of such offences.
Case Prosecution and Convictions
Overall, 34,066 cases were reported nationwide. Out of this figure, 6,314 cases (18.5 percent) were received and forwarded to the Magistrate Court by the Legal and Justice Support Department for further legal proceedings.
From the cases handled by the department, 614 were committed to the High Court, while 389 resulted in convictions, with offenders either sentenced or fined.
Police Commitment to Transparency
Providing further clarification during the briefing, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Kamara Esq. explained key aspects of the statistics in simple terms and reaffirmed the police’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
He noted that the Sierra Leone Police is transitioning from a “Force” to a “Service”, emphasising improved professionalism, accountability and effective service delivery to the public.
The press conference concluded with questions and clarifications from members of the media.
SLP Media Team
