By Caroline Edwin
Freetown, 16 April 2025 – The Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition (SLeCAA) has issued a public warning to all licensed civilian firearm owners to immediately renew their firearm licenses for the 2025 financial year or face severe legal consequences.
In a press statement released from the Office of the President, SLeCAA emphasized that failure to comply with license renewal requirements constitutes an offence under Section 22(3) of the SLeCAA Act, 2023. Offenders risk a fine of not less than ten thousand New Leones, imprisonment for a term not less than five years, or both.
The Commission stated that renewing licenses is essential to legitimizing firearm ownership and ensuring responsible usage. It strongly advised defaulters to surrender their firearms to SLeCAA headquarters on State Avenue, Freetown, by 30 April 2025, for safekeeping until their licenses are renewed.
Non-compliance will lead to law enforcement action, including confiscation of firearms and potential prosecution. SLeCAA also reminded the public of its broader mandate to regulate the manufacture, transfer, sale, and use of arms across Sierra Leone. Possession of firearms without a valid license will lead to prosecution and full enforcement of the law.
The public is encouraged to contact the Commission for further information via the numbers provided.
