“Among the victims is an innocent 3-year-old girl” Gender Ministry
By Jonathan B Omaru in Bonthe
Ten sexually penetrated girls in Bonthe District have received recovery packages with some cash. The packages were distributed by officials of the ministry of Gender and Children’s affairs at a ceremony held in Mattru Jong. Among the victims that received the NLE 500 was a three-year-old girl that was badly penetrated by an alleged 36-year-old man in Wongifor, Jong chiefdom.
The Deputy Director of Gender and Children’s affairs in Bonthe and also manager of One Stop Center, Mohamed K. Turay said the packages were given as a result of a concept he wrote in line with president Bio’s priority of helping sexually penetrated girls in the country after declaring rape a national emergency. “The package is to assist the girls with school learning materials and other sanitary items,” he said.
Sexual penetration according to him is on the increase in the district especially in the riverine areas where evidence got destroyed before reaching the family support unit of the police or the gender ministry.
“Compromise among influential people who are mostly perpetrators has been a great challenge to their effectiveness in reducing the trend, a drive that stop victims from accessing justice and thereby helping perpetrators fleeing away from the community,” he added.
Recently, Turay said, a paramount chief named (PC Koroma) in one of the riverine chiefdoms Sittia, allegedly penetrated an underaged girl.
The chief denied the allegation and used his influence to settle the matter out of court, a situation he said impedes justice for sexually abused girls.
Also, a man in his late thirties in Bonthe District allegedly penetrated his step daughter, an underaged girl. The case was investigated by the FSU unit of the Mattru Police Division and the perpetrator is now at the correctional Center awaiting Court proceedings as the family tries to settle the matter.
A primary school head master in shegbwema Jong sexually penetrated a 14-year-old girl according to police CSO Francis Sandi. Patrick Lahai the accused has been granted bail onto December, 1, 2022 when the matter comes up again. That bail decision, he said is frowned at by all human rights activists in Bonthe District.
Nedson Conteh of the family Support unit in Bonthe advised parents to be reporting sexual penetration cases to the unit for action. He cautioned them not to do it out of malice with the intention of extorting money or getting the sexual violence package fund. “A genuine report of such cases will be fully monitored to get justice,” he reinforced.
Rape is common in Bonthe district. In 2019, chief Jonathan Tucker was accused of sexually penetrating a 17-year-old in Gbap Nonogo Babullom. He was never held accountable.
In 2020, Rashidatu Nabie an eleven-year-old died after she was allegedly gang raped in Nyandehun village.
In the same year, eight men were charged to court for raping a fifty-year-old woman in the district.
In 2021, 54 men were arrested and charged to court for allegedly gang raping a 17-year-old girl. The video went viral and no serious penalties were levied on the suspects.
Upon this background, Councilor Sivalie, council rep and Sarah Rogers, Women’s Coordinator – Bonthe made emphasis on the importance of reporting sexual and gender-based violence cases to the right channels for appropriate action to be taken.