High Court Begins Trial of Five Over Alleged Forced FGM Case

The High Court in Freetown has commenced the trial of five individuals accused of abducting a woman and forcibly subjecting her to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in what is being closely watched as a landmark legal case in Sierra Leone.

The case, which was first exclusively brought to light by Truth Media, is expected to test the country's legal response to allegations of forced initiation into the Bondo Society and other harmful traditional practices.

According to court documents, the complainant alleged that on 7 May 2026, she was abducted and forcibly initiated into the Bondo Society, a traditional female secret society, by practitioners commonly known as soweis. She claimed that while being held against her will in the Quarry Moyeba Community in Kissy, she was subjected to female genital cutting before eventually escaping her captors.

The woman later reported the incident to the Ross Road Police Station on 28 May 2026, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest and indictment of five suspects.

The accused are:

Mariama Kargbo, alias "Kuttie"

Ramatu Turay, alias "Waka Pa Dem"

Mabinty Bangura, alias "Sampa"

Adama Kamara, alias "Nanday Porto/Nandewa"

Abubakarr Fadika, alias "DJ Bakarr"

The five defendants have been arraigned before Justice Tonia Barnett and are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and causing grievous bodily harm.

The prosecution alleges that the accused conspired to unlawfully maim the complainant's clitoris, thereby causing grievous bodily harm, contrary to Section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861.

The proceedings have attracted widespread public and legal interest, with human rights advocates and legal observers monitoring the case closely due to its implications for the enforcement of laws protecting women and girls from forced initiation and FGM. The trial is also expected to examine the balance between cultural traditions and the protection of fundamental human rights under Sierra Leonean law.

After the matter was called before the court, Justice Barnett adjourned proceedings to 20 July 2026, when the cross-examination of witnesses is expected to begin.