On the 23rd of July 2021 Sierra Leone became the 23rd African state to abolish the death penalty, making them the first English-speaking African country to do so. Parliamentarians voted that the death penalty would be replaced with a life sentence, which would carry a mandatory minimum of 30 years and the option of extending imprisonment depending on the severity of the crime. Proponents argue this is a progressive step forward, away from the countries colonial past, but critics fear that crime will increase without this ultimate penalty. What do you think?