Sources reaching this medium state that Grace Ngaujah, a 16-year-old girl, is the recent victim of domestic violence. It was revealed that the victim, who lives with her stepmother Harietta Ngaujah at 68 Old School Junction, Hill Station in Freetown, has been enduring severe domestic violence, including physical, psychological, and economic abuse, as well as intimidation from her stepmother. The most recent incident occurred on the night of August 18 this year when the stepmother violently chased her out of the home, exposing her to various dangers, including sexual abuse. According to the victim, her stepmother did not allow her into the house that night, so she had to find her way to an unfinished building.
During an exclusive interview conducted by this medium within the victim’s community, approximately over 90% of the interviewees confirmed that they had witnessed several acts of violence perpetrated on Grace by her stepmother.
A close neighbor also informed this medium that on multiple occasions, she had been the one to assist the victim when she was in need.
Times SL Newspaper also confirmed that the victim’s father Sahr Ngaujah who is so passionate about the well-being of his daughter decided to leave his daughter in care of his wife who happens to be the step mother anytime he travels upcountry and out of Sierra Leone. It not clear whether Ngaujah is aware of all the maltreatment his daughter currently suffers in the hands of his wife. There are growing concerns that some good neighbours within the community have been trying to reach Ngaujah in order to brief him about the inhumane treatment his wife usually unleased over the poor girl. The issue has generated public interest to the extent that it has been brought to the attention of the country’s First Lady Madam Fatima Jabbie Bio who is also passionate about protecting the rights of women and girls.
Civil Society Organizations have also been lambasting government for being careless in handling cases of such nature that has to do child cruelty.
The police have also been gingered to ensure that cases of such nature once reported be given the utmost attention for prosecution but all those orders and instructions have fell on deaf ears.
Sierra Leone as a country has signed to many treaties and conventions on the protection of girl child but little has is being done to address such cases. There have been instances of cases where a child was beaten to death by a forster parent but the perpetrators were allow to go . The issue impunity has become a cause for concern in Sierra Leone as tensions keep rising day in, day out on protection of children. The country in 2007 legislated an Act titled ” The child rights Act”. This act was legislated to protect children and though the act has consequences for anyone found wanting , yet is difficult to see government pushing hard on that. Grace Ngaujah’s case is one among many. There are quite a good numbers of other Grace Ngaujahs who are suffering in silence. Research conducted has shown that over 80% of children who suffer such consequences are children who are not staying with their biological parents. The issue has become so rampart that several protests have made by human rights Organizations all in the name of holding government accountable for the rights and protection of children.