In Sierra Leone, Over the alleged HANCI child trafficking case: Prosecution Witnesses Testify In Court
29 August 2012
| In Sierra Leone, Over the alleged HANCI child trafficking case: Prosecution Witnesses Testify In Court By Michael T. Kamara Aug 29, 2012, 17:04 | Email this article Printer friendly page |
Three Prosecution witnesses Isatu Sesay of Mohamed Bangura Street, Makeni, Sulaiman Moseray Summah of Sylvanus Street in Makeni and Momoh Kanu of Back Bone Road in Mile 9, have testified before Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No 2 on Tuesday 28th August 2012 on the ongoing trials of Child Trafficking involving HANCI, a Non Governmental Organization.
The witnesses told the Court that Ronald Foday Kargbo former Executive Director of HANCI, John Kapri Gbla, Henry Abu, Peter Lamin Dumbuya and Peter Brima Kargbo employees of HANCI arranged for an adoption of their children abroad without their knowledge and consent.
According to Prosecution Witness (PW1) Isatu Sesay, she told the Court that she recognized the accused persons as HANCI employees. She further told the Court that, she knew HANCI as an organization that takes care of children. Isatu testified that she could recall sometime in 1997, when the accused persons met her at her house and requested for her child so as to enroll him in school and support him financially until he completed university studies. She furthered testified that she willingly gave them her biological son Sulaiman Kargbo, on condition that, they (accused persons) should never attempt to hand over her child to any third party nor should they take him out of the country. She told the crowded Court that the accused persons agreed to her conditions and it was at that stage she released her son Sulaiman. She revealed in court that, up to date she has not seen her son neither heard from him. She said on several occasions she had approached the accused persons but they have been giving her conflicting stories which she described as lies. She later reported the matter to the Police.
Standing in the dock, PW2 Sulaiman Moseray Summah acknowledged that he knew the accused persons as HANCI employees when questioned by the prosecution representing the state. He further told the court that he could recall sometime in 1997 when the accused persons visited his home and informed him that there was an educational programme that his children could benefit from. He said they persuaded him to allow his daughter to be part of the programme. Suliaman Summah explained that he told them (accused persons) that he would only release his daughter if they adhere to certain conditions; that his daughter should not be handed over to any other care giver other than the accused persons, they should not take her out of the country and he should have access to visit her at any time he wished. He revealed that the accused persons promised to adhere to the conditions and it was on that basis he handed over his daughter, Mabinty Summah to them. He further told the court that all efforts to trace the whereabouts of his daughter through the accused persons proved futile. He concluded that as there was no sign of tracing his daughter he reported the matter to the Police.
The accused persons were granted bail and the matter was adjourned to 18th September 2012.