Aaron Aruna Koroma, a former Member of Parliament for Constituency 048 in Tonkolili District representing the All Peoples Congress (APC), has expressed deep concern regarding the reported assault of a minor in Mile 91.

He became aware of a distressing viral video featuring a young girl named Mabinty Mansaray being subjected to abuse by her caregiver.

Recognizing his role as a concerned stakeholder in the community, he has taken it upon himself to address this issue by bringing it to the attention of the government, NGOs, and other relevant individuals, urging them to take immediate action and seek justice for the victim.

His statement reads below;

“My attention has been drawn to a video in which an innocent little girl was seen to have been horribly assaulted by her caregiver in Mile 91. In the said video, the little girl who has been identified as Mabinty  Mansaray claimed she was assaulted by an uncle for wearing a red attire.

“As a father of two beautiful girls, a former Member of Parliament, a stakeholder and a moral guarantor in the said community, I have  an obligation to forward the video (which has gone viral on social media) to the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Mile 91 Police Division pursuant to Section 59(a) of the Child Rights Act 2007 for immediate investigation. 

“Clearly, the action of the so- called uncle contravenes Section 33(1) of the Child Rights Act which which reads;

“No person shall subject a child to torture or other cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which dehumanizes or is injurious to the physical and mental welfare of a child”

“In this regard, I am calling on the Government through the Sierra Leone Police, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Office of the First Lady to help push for a speedy investigation into the matter and bring the perpetrator to justice. No child, regardless of her circumstance should endure such a barbaric treatment from someone that is supposed to protect her.

“Let me also entreat members of the public to deviate from trivializing or treating this sad incident as a political matter. It is clearly not. Children are known to follow or participate in political rallies not necessarily because they support a political party but mostly because of the fanfares that characterizes these rallies. Mabinty Mansaray could be anyone’s child.

“National or International Human Rights Activists, NGOs, and well-wishers who may want to get in contact with this child can contact me for proper coordination of efforts to help restore her dignity or seek medical help”.

See the video below;