By: Problyn J. Alpha
14 yrs-old girl Theresa Tarwally formerly of the Kensay community in Koidu City has reportedly died during an alleged female genital mutilation process at the Kensay community in Koidu City.
According to reliable information, the underage girl sometime in December last year reportedly committed a Bondo societal offence by entering into an unfinished house which they used as a shine for Bondo Society initiation in the aforesaid community.
Speaking to this medium, the caretaker of the deceased, Fatima Turay confirmed the aforementioned information noting the deceased is her husband’s (Sheriff Kamara) younger sister.
Madam Turay added that after the deceased committed the said Bondo Societal offence by entering the secret shine to visit her friend who was also undergoing initiation, there was no option as traditional demands she was also initiated adding that it was during the process the deceased complained of neck pain which she sustained from a hit by unknown force until her death on Sunday 8th January 2023.
Meanwhile, reliable information states that the Sowe (traditional initiator) for the forceful initiation was imported from Masingbi town, while her location is presently unknown.
The reliable information further revealed that some family members of the deceased on Monday 9th January 2023 had wanted to secretly bury the remains of the deceased who died on Sunday 8th January 2023 when a concerned citizen informed the Police about the incident.
Upon receiving the information the police visited the family members in question and conveyed the corpse to the Koidu Government Hospital Mortuary, and will be later conveyed to Freetown for proper postmortem examination.
Family members of the deceased including the Kensay Area Chief up to press time have denied the said allegation nothing that the girl died a natural death whilst seeking medication as she was seriously sick.
While the caretaker’s husband Sheriff Kamara is in Police custody helping them with their investigation.