No. 2

30

Right to Access Information Act

2013

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), a disclosure which
is made to the police or to an appropriate public authority shall be
deemed to be made in the public interest.

ACT

Supplement to the Sierra LeoneGazette Vol. CXLIV, No. 62
dated 31st October, 2013

(4) For the purposes of this section, a person is penalized
if the person is dismissed, discriminated against, made the subject of
any reprisal or other form of adverse treatment or is denied any
appointment, promotion or advantage that otherwise would have
been provided; and the imposition of any penalty in contravention
of this section shall be actionable in tort.
(5) Any term of a settlement arising from a claim under
this section, in-so-far as it purports to impose an obligation of
confidentiality on any party to the settlement in respect of information
which is not inaccurate and which was or was proposed to be
disclosed, shall be unenforceable.
(6) In any proceedings for an offence for contravention
of any statutory prohibition or restriction on the disclosure of
information it shall be a defence to show that in the circumstances
the disclosure was in the public interest, and where the offence is
alleged to have been committed by an official or Government
contractor and involves the disclosure of information obtained by
the person in the person’s position as such, that the defendant had
before making the disclosure, complied with subsection (2).
Protection of
bona fide
actions.

51. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie
against any person for anything which is done in good faith or
intended to be done under or pursuant to this Act.

Passed in Parliament this 29th day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand and thirteen.
IBRAHIM S. SESAY,
Clerk of Parliament.
THIS PRINTED IMPRESSION has been carefully compared by me with the Bill
which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correct printed copy
of the said Bill.
IBRAHIM S. SESAY,
Clerk of Parliament.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT, SIERRA LEONE.
GAZETTE NO. 62 OF 31ST OCTOBER, 2013.

THE RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION ACT, 2013
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
PART I – PRELIMINARY
1. Interpretation.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

PART II–THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION
Access to information.
Submission and forms of request.
Time limit for compliance.
Transfer of application.
Fees.
Communication of request.
Proactive publication.
Approval of publication schemes.
Model publication schemes
Other proactive obligations.

12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.

PART III–EXEMPT INFORMATION
Exempt information.
Refusal of request.
Information accessible by other means.
National security and defence.
International relations.
Economic interests.
Investigations and law enforcement.
Third party information.
Client professional privilege.
Personal matters.
Commercial interests.
Public economic interests.

Select target paragraph3