The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) on Wednesday 11th 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.
Credit: SLP Media Team
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