The West Africa Civil Society Forum Sierra Leone Chapter has issued a strong appeal for urgent action and justice following an alleged case of sexual exploitation involving a 13-year-old schoolgirl in Waterloo, Western Area Rural District.

In a press release, WACSOF disclosed that the victim, a Junior Secondary School (JSS II) pupil of Moana Jonny Secondary School at Camp Junction, was allegedly impregnated twice by a 65-year-old man identified as Mohamed Abdul Leigh.

According to the organization, the case— reportedly uncovered through an investigation by The Informant has sparked widespread condemnation from child rights advocates, community leaders, and residents, who described the incident as a grave act of sexual exploitation against a vulnerable minor.

According to WACSOF, Leigh allegedly exploited the girl’s poverty to coerce her into the relationship. When the first pregnancy was discovered, he reportedly smuggled her away to Bama village, and later to Malaisoko village in Port Loko District, where she delivered a baby boy.

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To evade scrutiny from his legally married wife and the community in Waterloo, Leigh allegedly promised the teenage girl and her family a traditional marriage, presenting kola nuts, and vowed to take full responsibility for both the girl and the child.

However, while the victim was still nursing her infant, Leigh allegedly impregnated her again effectively denying her any opportunity to continue her education.

During her time in the village, Leigh constructed a room-and-parlor house for her and equipped it with a freezer and three solar panels intended for selling cool water and operating a phone charging center. But since then, he has reportedly abandoned her and the two children, refusing to provide further support.

In response to the harrowing case, WACSOF has issued an urgent call to action, demanding that the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Sierra Leone Police intervene without delay.

“We are calling on the Ministry of Social Welfare and the police to provide the victim with medical, psychological, and educational support while prosecuting Leigh,” the organization stated in its press release.

WACSOF also urged the government of Sierra Leone, through the Hands Off Our Girls campaign, to step in and ensure justice is served. The civil society group has offered to assist authorities with the investigation and to aid with evidence.

“This tragedy highlights the vulnerability of Sierra Leone’s young girls and demands stronger enforcement of child protection laws, alongside systemic reforms to prevent future abuses,” the statement read.

In a strong condemnation, the organization added: “This is not just a crime against one child; it is a crime against society.”