Access to Justice for 500 Women in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, the presumption of innocence is a constitutional right — yet for many vulnerable women, this principle often exists only on paper. Without legal representation, countless women face over-detention, unfair sentencing, and violations of their basic human rights.

One such woman is Isatu Barrie, a 51-year-old mother of two and small business owner. Isatu ran a modest shop in her community, selling assorted goods to provide for her family.

Her ordeal began when her elder son, without her knowledge, collected money from a woman on the promise of securing her a passport and travel abroad. Later, while in Guinea, he instructed the woman to hand additional money to Isatu for safekeeping — still without explaining the true nature of the transaction to her. Following his instructions, Isatu eventually passed the money to another man, unaware of its connection to the complainant’s travel plans.

When the promised travel arrangements failed, the complainant accused Isatu of fraudulent conversion. She was arrested, detained, and brought before the Waterloo Magistrate Court — despite the fact that she had played no intentional role in the matter.

When I met Isatu in court, she was visibly distressed and financially unable to hire a lawyer. She had already appeared twice in court without the complainant present, yet was still denied bail. She spent three weeks on remand at the Waterloo Correctional Centre, even though her charge was bailable and she was suffering from hypertension.

Recognizing her vulnerability, AdvocAid’s Duty Counsel, who was present at court that day was informed and she immediately took up her case, arguing for bail, which the magistrate granted. Isatu was finally reunited with her family and able to return to her business.

Without this timely intervention, Isatu might have remained behind bars for months — an injustice that could have damaged her health, livelihood, and dignity.

At AdvocAid, we are committed to ensuring that women like Isatu are not lost in the cracks of the justice system. Through legal representation, advocacy, and awareness of legal rights, we challenge unfair detentions and work towards a more just Sierra Leone.

Isatu’s story is not unique — but with continued support, we can make sure it becomes less common.