By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
The Crime Officer of the Family Support Unit at the Bo-East End Police Division, Ibrahim J.B Kulangbanda has strongly cautioned the Traditional Birth attendants (TBAs) and the nurses to desist from examining whether the crime of sexual penetration was committed on victims of sexual penetration; as it is not their responsibility.
Speaking to A-Z Newspaper in Bo, Mr. Kulangbanda said that they have received several reports that nurses and TBA’s are in the habit of checking children who have been sexually abused to confirm whether the crime was committed. He said they have been sensitizing them to report cases of sexual penetration and other sexual abuse cases to the police to be investigated.
“I am in charge of sexual assault syndicate and I want the TBAs and the nurses to know that they are not trained to investigate such nature of the crime to bring perpetrators to book but the Sierra Leone police have the mandate to do it,” he said, adding that “if you look at the sexual penetration Act it talks about the slightest penetration of an object into the virgin, anus or mouth and if the nurse or TBA’s are examining to ascertain if there was penetration, in the process they will end up giving more openings to the victims, meaning you have also penetrated the victim.”
Mr. Kulangbanda however said that from 2012 to 2019, they were having a lot of sexual penetration cases reported to them but when President Bio took over in 2019 there was a review of the sexual offences Act, which brought more punishment to the offenders and with the sensitization on the amended sexual offence Act, there has been a reduction in the cases of sexual penetration in his area of operation, covering, Jiama, Wondeh, Kakua, Bagbe, Bajia, Komboya and Baoma in Bo district,
He said that they are faced with challenges in the discharge of their duties including the provision of stationery, mobility and lack of home for perpetrators or offenders of sexual penetration, adding that they have a home for victims being provided by organizations like Commit and Act and this organization has been of support to them.
Mr. Kulagbanda encouraged nurses and TBA’s to report cases of sexual abuse to the police and cautioned parents to stop compromising sexual penetration which the sexual offences Act frowns against.