Trigger Warning: Sexual abuse, rape, explicit content
Recently a new case of rape of a minor in Sierra Leone has sent everyone in a frenzy. The images of the young girl flooded my newsfeed and it triggered me so badly that I went into hiding and deactivated both my profiles. I couldn’t do it.
Almost every day, I get a report about rape. In my new job, we get press clips and I noticed that every week there is a story about rape/sexual abuse in the many stories that come in each press clip. I decided to share some since I started. Take note that I’ve only been around for about two months. I am posting the clips just as I get them. I have done no edits to these and I would credit the person who did the clippings, but I don’t think it is appropriate due to the work.
April 16th
Abuse of Young Girl..
Head Teacher Sentenced to Jail
By Unissa Bangura
On Tuesday this week, 14th April 2020 in the High Court of Sierra Leone, the Honourable Justice Mr. Monfred M. Sesay found a Head Teacher of a reputable school in Waterloo, New London, Foday Conteh guilty of having penetrated a young girl below the age of consent to wit fifteen (15) years.
Standard Times, p19
April 17th
Teacher Discharged in Sexual Matter
By Janet A. Sesay
Kelly Jaward, a teacher at the George Washington School, Wellington in Freetown, was yesterday acquitted and Discharged by Justice Monfred Sesay of the Freetown High Court. He is alleged by the police to have penetrated a pupil of the school , inside one of the classrooms during school hours.
Night Watch, p15
April 22nd
12 Years for Sexual Penetration
By Edna Browne Dauphine
… Justice Monfred Sesay sentenced a young man convicted of sexual penetration of a six-year old girl to a jail term of 12 years. The case against Idrissa Kamara was that on the 10th June 2018, in Freetown, while the victim was left in his care he used his finger to sexually penetrate her.
Awoko, p6
April 23rd
Police Officer Jailed 20 Years
… Sexual Penetration
By Salifu Conteh
Police Officer Michael Jackson attached to the Wilberforce Police Post will now spend 20 years in detention at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre after he was found guilty on two separate files of the sexual penetration of two young boys below the age of consent while in custody at the Wilberforce Police Post as suspects for larceny. The convict Police Officer was said to have sexually penetrated the two boys between ages 15 and 17 through their anus at night while serving as Lockup officer on diverse dates, and was charged on two separate files for the said offences under section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012.
Standard Times, p19
April 24
School Teacher Impregnates School Girl
By Joseph Amara Vandi
Family Support Unit (FSU) in Port Loko is at Present investigating the Deputy Head Teacher, Alhassan Sesay of the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood Primary School in Robanka in the Port Loko District. Sesay is alleged to have impregnated a class six girl age 12 in the school. There are allegations that he had earlier impregnated six other school girls.
The Momentum, p6
April 28th
Court Reduces Bail Conditions for Alleged Sexual Penetrator
By Edna Brown-Dauphine
The High Court in Freetown has reduced the bail conditions granted to an alleged child perpetrator. According to the State, the accused, Abdulai Kamara, a 30-year old man, allegedly raped an 11-year old girl in Wellington, on 16th June 2020…Kamara was granted bail of Le 50 million and two sureties but he could not meet the conditions… appeared before Justice Komba Kamanda at the Siaka Stevens Street High Court on Thursday 23rd April 2020. The Judge reduced the bail to Le40 million.
The Awoko, p6
May 7th
Gang Rape in Waterloo
A girl, 15, last Tuesday night in Waterloo was gang raped by at least four males, some youth, some adults. The girl is alleged to have been encouraged to indulge in heavy drinking of alcohol laced with had drug. Laying helpless, the boys, at least four of them, took turns on her until she became helpless. They then abandoned her in the street; they fled when a passer-by raised alarm. One suspect is currently in Police custody at the main Waterloo Police Headquarters.
The Guardian, p2
May 19
Uncle Rapes 14 Years Old Niece
Independent Observer, p3
By Dauda Koroma
Saio Steven, a fifty-four year old man, has been arraigned before Justice Simeon Allieu of High Court No. 1 on Monday 18 May 2020, for sexually abusing his 14 years-old niece. The accused made his first appearance in the High Court for call over since he was committed from the Magistrate Court to continue his trial. The accused Saio Steven is charged with a count of sexual penetration of a child….defence counsel Cecilia Tucker Esq. then applied for bail but was refused by Justice Simeon Allieu, who remanded the accused in custody until 1 June 2020
May 20th
Man Sentenced to 15-yrs years for Penetrating 8-yr Old Girl
By Mohamed J. Bah
Justice Monfred Sesay on Tuesday 19th May 2020, sentenced Osman Kamara to 15-years Imprisonment for raping an 8-year old child in the Western Area. According to the Sierra Leone Police, on 19th April 2018, the fisherman raped the child in his bedroom in the Western Area. He was charged with the offence of sexual penetration of a child contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012.
Awoko Newspaper, p7
May 21st
Father Sentenced to 16 Years Imprisonment
By Musa Paul Feika
Justice Simeon Alie, one of the judges of the High Court of Sierra Leone, yesterday sentenced one Alusine Sesay to 16 years Imprisonment for the offence of incest, which is contrary to Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 and procuring drugs for abortion, which is also contrary to Section 59 of the Offences against the Persons Act of 1861. …The accused told the court that he was tempted by Satan to commit such an offence by not even having sympathy on his own daughter until he impregnated her.
Night Watch, p5
June 10th:
Police Record 12, 014 Sex Offences in 2019
The Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police recorded twelve thousand, three hundred and fourteen cases of domestic violence including sexual penetration and related in 2019…in 2019, the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police recorded twelve thousand, three hundred and fourteen cases as compared to cases in 2018, followed by domestic violence, sexual penetration and rape.
AYV News, p1&2
I know some people have tagged me and we are all up in arms again, but I am so tired and I am thankful for all of you that don’t tire and truly want to bring about change. I know my own battle is different and I’ll be focusing my energy on the work I am already doing. I’ll just once again share two pieces I wrote just last year on this topic and leave it at that. I am always willing to donate, support, advice etc., but my bandwidth is low these days to actively engage on this topic just because of how it hits home.
Rape statistics on the rise in SL
Opinion on Declaration of National Emergency on Rape in Sierra Leone
All the best
Salone Creatives 
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