Sierra
Leone’s Ambassador to the European Union, Ambassador Ibrahim Sorie has assured
States Parties to the Rome Statute, which established the International
Criminal Court (ICC) that, his country remains committed to the court, in the
wake of withdrawals by three states from Africa.
He also made the pronouncement at the plenary session of the 15th Assembly of States Parties Session for
2016, where he assured delegates that the Government of Sierra Leone would not
renege on its responsibility in ensuring that the ICC continues to provide
effective and efficient justice delivery system in the world.
He added that Sierra Leone had experienced the bitterness of war
and that such behooves the country to work with other states parties for the
maintenance of peace and justice for all.
Ambassador Sorie further stated that the issue of grave crimes
and grand corruption must be seriously looked into in the dispensation of
justice by the ICC, adding that grand corruption and grave crimes commonly go
hand-in-glove.
“There are many apparent links in the perpetration [of crimes
against humanity and corruption] and the lack of accountability for these
crimes is also mutually entwined and attempts at accountability face many
common challenges. Corruption and connected grave crimes were clearly seen in
the Sierra Leone conflict. The existence of corruption in any country will lead
to conflict, thus leading to the death of people and the destruction of
properties. Sierra Leone experienced a civil war in 1990 and many people knew
that grand corruption was a serious issue in our own case,” said Amb. Sorie.
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