As family mourns the death of a pregnant woman in their custody, Sierra Leone police say she died outside their station

By Alpha Kamara in Washington D.C.

“They have killed our sister and her unborn child. We are in pain and tears” Family

The family of Mabinty Sesay, a pregnant woman who died in police hands two days ago, want answers from the police. They said Mabinty’s house at PWD area East of Freetown was raided by the police on suspicion the lady and others had illegal drugs (marijuana and Kush) in her possession.

“During the raid, she was manhandled and forcefully thrown inside a police truck and taken away to the Harbor police station. Mabinty’s plea to be spared as a pregnant woman was ignored, and the police team drove in haste away,” the family said.   

At the station the family added, Mabinty (the pregnant woman) complaint that she was feeling abnormal and uneasy and asked that she is taken for treatment. But the officers on duty ignored her call. She was taken outside the station upon realizing her situation had deteorated they said. She died few minutes later outside the Harbor police station, the family stressed.

In response, the Sierra Leone police has presented their own version of the story. According to a police press release, on Thursday 1st December, 2022, at 1300 hours, they raided the Peace Market at PWD area, and conducted a search in the premise of one Abdul Razack Smart, a suspect.

“During the search, huge quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis and Kush were discovered and one Abdul Razack Smart the owner was arrested. In the process of his arrest to be taken to the police station, her wife (Mabinty Sesay) (who was not under arrest) decided to accompany him,”.

The police said when they arrived at the Harbor Police Station, at Ross Road, Mabinty (now deceased) was outside, while her husband Abdul Razack Smart was inside, being questioned. She collapsed and had to be immediately rushed to the Ross Road clinic for treatment where she was pronounced dead. The police added that, the victim’s corpse has been conveyed to the Connaught Hospital’s Mortuary for autopsy.

The family has rejected this claim accusing the police of hiding the facts. An eye witness said Mabinty, her husband and others the police accused of having illegal substances were all arrested and driven to the station.

“Mabinty was arrested and pushed into the police vehicle even though she told them she was pregnant. They even accused her of being an accomplice to her husband and was treated as a suspect. The police only remove her from their detention after her condition became worse,” said the late woman’s sister.

“They have killed our relative and her unborn child. We are in pain and tears. Only God the highest will wipe our tears. I know we will never get justice,” the deceased’s brother added.

The late Mabinty was a petty trader who sells various goods to take care of her family.