School Principal Remanded Over Alleged Death of JSS Pupil in Port Loko

The principal of Maforki Agricultural Islamic Secondary School in Port Loko, Mrs Mabinty Kargbo has been remanded over an alleged killing of a Junior Secondary School pupil, Alie Sallah who passed away on Tuesday, 8th April, 2025.

According to the Port Loko district Police Division, the Principal was accused of killing the 16 year old Alie Sallah, a JSS 2 pupil.

Fatmata Kamara, the mother of Alie Sallah, during an interview, gave a detailed account of the heartbreaking events that led to her son’s death, stating, “on Sunday 6 April 2025, my son left healthy to school. Later that day he returned home with dirt all over his body and cane marks,”

“He told me that he was playing ball with his peers when suddenly there was an interruption. My boy said he went to the toilet to hide. He further stated that the said principal came to the toilet with a cane and started beating him,” she explained, adding her son told her he tried to resist the attack but was overpowered.

After a long caning, she maintained that, according to her son, when the principal thought he wanted to fight her as in self-defense, he instructed other teachers and school pupils to beat him up.

Upon hearing about the shocked and distressed incident, the bereaved mother said she immediately went to the school along with her to seek answers, asserting that their arrival at the school was met with hostility.

Madam Kamara explained, “some of the teachers told me not to go see the madam who happens to be the principal of the school. I insisted. When I reached her office, the principal said I did not train my son well and that he must beat me before she would allow him back into the school,”

According to her, she contended with the principal boldly telling her that her that her son was not like that, adding that, “besides, this is his last year here in Sierra Leone, he will be traveling to Egypt soon. The principal did not listen.”

According to her, the situation escalated when Kamara requested her son’s belongings, which the principal had seized after beating the young boy. She claimed, “I asked for my son’s bag. She could not produce it. She told me that if I stayed too long at the school compound, she would instruct her school pupils to beat me up.”

She further admitted that on their way to the school, her sister suggested they inform the police about the situation, but according to her an elderly woman intercepted their movements, assuring them that she has a good rapport with the principal and promised to talk to her.

In her thirst for a resolution, Kamara said she met a local man, Mr. A.B. Bangura, whom she said advised her to revisit the school “On Monday morning, we met the vice principal and explained everything. He said he could not go against his boss’s wishes but would find a way to give my son free marks for the exams he missed. He also told us that the principal had traveled to her village,” she explained.

On Tuesday, the grieving mother said, “my son went to his family friend at a shopping mall where he started feeling distressed and tired. They gave him paracetamol to rest. At 6:00 pm, he returned home shivering. I thought maybe he had taken a drink from a friend, but he said no. Later around 8:00 pm, he couldn’t talk anymore, he was just pointing all over his body.”

Confirming that they rushed him to an Arabic hospital, but no one was available due to the ongoing football games that was held on that day. So, she said they went to the Port Loko Government Hospital, and there was no doctor there either, but she said, nurses gave him a drip.

“He started perspiring. My sister and I went home to get him some clothes, thinking it was a minor issue. But before we reached the gate, my younger brother rushed to us telling me that my son had passed away, right in front of the doctor at the gate,” she explained, sadly.

In tears, madam Kamara furthered that they reported the matter to the police, affirming hat the body, which was already in preparation for burial, was intercepted by the police who insisted that an autopsy be conducted.

“On Wednesday morning, the corpse was taken from the mortuary and brought to the mosque for prayers and burial. Shortly after, the police arrived and insisted the body must not be buried until the autopsy is done. It has now been taken to Freetown, and the result is expected by Friday,” she asserted.

The bereaved has called on authorities to take swift and unbiased action, expressing “for now, I’m calling on the police to do an independent investigation and bring justice,not for me now because my son is gone, but for other parents. This is not the first time my son reported issues like this. He had told me in the past, but I ignored it thinking it was a school matter.”

According to the Police Spokesperson, an arrest has been made in connection to the case, stating that they already have in our custody the alleged individual, Mabinty Kargbo, the principal of Marforki Agricultural Islamic Secondary School.

“Upon receiving the report from Fatmata Kamara, the mother of the deceased, we arrived at the scene and arrested the perpetrator. She is currently in the Port Loko Police Division, and investigations are ongoing,” the officer confirmed.

The police went further to admit that the corpse has been taken to Freetown for autopsy, and that they were waiting on the results, which he said they expect to receive on Friday.

According to the police, the suspect, Madam Kargbo, has denied all allegations, but the police have expressed determination in pursuing the matter with diligence to reveal the hidden cause and suspects, and serve justice.