Briefing Paper

Judicial systems in Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia

“Some of the problems associated with the judiciary of the countries had their roots in ineffective and inappropriate police and prosecutorial practices. For example,delay in trials and case overload were often the result of police and prosecutorial practices, malpractices and inefficiency, which are compounded by deficits of human
resources, competencies and facilities in the judiciary. A highly neglected issue in the institutional architecture and policy relating to the judiciary in Africa is that of oversight and accountability. There is need for a fair and effective framework within the judiciary that will be
responsible for monitoring the conduct and functional performance of judges and take appropriate actions such as incentives and discipline. The conclusion draws attention to the fact that judicial independence is a means to an end, namely judicial integrity
and impartiality, which are critical and necessary to the observance of the rule of law and protection of human rights.”