The Sierra Leone Police have arrested four people for an alleged case of murder of a five-year-old girl, Khadijah Madinatu Saccoh, whose autopsy report, lists manual strangulation (asphyial death), spinal cord injury, bitten tongue, vaginal and anal dilatation, finger nail excoriation, fracture of cervical vertebrae as the causes of her death.
Mariatu Rashid, the Line Manager attached to the Family Support Unit (FSU), Lumley Police Division, said that the death of the five-year-old is linked to sexual penetration.
The death of Khadijah Madinatu Saccoh, has raised public outcry in Sierra Leone. Civil Society Organizations, rights groups and citizens did a peaceful demonstration yesterday calling for justice against the perpetrators. On Wednesday June 17, 2020, the victim was brought to the outpatient department of Choithram Memorial Hospital and, according to the Hospital, the doctors examined the child thoroughly and found no signs of life and the child was declared as “brought dead”.
According to the Sierra Leone Police Crime Statistics for the year 2019, there were 3,253 Sexual Penetration and 145 Rape cases, respectively. Despite the government commitment in prosecuting perpetrators, the lack of forensic lab is hindering investigation thereby contributing to the increase of rape and sexual penetration in the country.
The Sierra Leone Police said in a public notice on Sunday June 21, 2020, that the Family Support Unit (FSU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are jointly investigating an alleged case of murder and sexual penetration of a five-year-old girl.
According to police, the cause of Khadija’s death could be linked to sexual penetration. SLP assured the public that would identify all the culprits of the dastardly acts and bring them before the court of law.
They advised that while they are on investigation every citizen must exercise patience and observe the due course of the law.
Nansu Fofanah, an activist, disclosed that the lack of forensic lab in the country would hinder the investigation, adding that without a forensic lab, a good lawyer may win the case against the victim.
She said that rape and sexual penetration is high in the country because it is difficult for the state to prosecute such cases. She therefore called on the government to establish a forensic lab in the country.
Emmerson Kamara, the child’s uncle expressed his dissatisfaction over the misinformation the relatives of the child’s mother were given the child’s father in USA, adding that they were saying that the child was having swelling while others were saying that she had had an electric shock. “The inconsistencies in their information made the child’s father to request for an autopsy so as to ascertain the cause of death,” he said.
One of the leaders at the peaceful demonstration who also doubles as the Information Officer for Kid Advocacy Network (KAN), Alhaji S. Conteh, said they decided to engage in peaceful demonstration to seek justice on the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl.
He said, “Over the years there had been cases of rape that the judiciary failed to prosecute. We want to put an end to the injustice of rape victims.”
He disclosed that the demonstration created impact because it led to a dialogue among the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police and other Human Rights Activist, in relation to the alleged Rape.
President of Sierra Leone Artist Union (SLAU), Milton Coker commonly known as Colabo, said that the Union joined the protest to raise awareness against rape in the country. “Young children are future leaders and we must stand in solidarity to protect their future against any inhumane acts,” he added.
The Autopsy result revealed that Khadija Madinatu Saccoh suffered Manual Strangulation (Asphyial Death), Spinal Cord injury, Bitten Tongue, Vaginal and Anal Dilatation, Finger Nail Excoriation , Fracture of her Cervical Vertebrate before death.
By Stephen V. Lansana & George M.O. Williams
23/6/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7851