The first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of a woman engaged in the practice of female genital mutilation (or Sowei) has testified in court explaining how an initiate died shortly after she had undergone the procedure.

The Sowei, Sowo Sandy, is accused of the manslaughter of the initiate, Maseray Sei, a 21-year-old mother of two.

Isatu Sei, the witness and aunt of the deceased, told the court on Wednesday 27 July that the accused put her niece through the procedure on 20 December 2021 in her presence. Shortly afterwards, she went on, 21-year-old Maseray started complaining of a headache. She said her niece later started convulsing and shaking violently.

Isatu told the court which is sitting in Moriba Town in Bonthe District that at that point she left the initiation shelter (Bondo Bush) with Maseray’s two young children and went to her family house in Nyandehun.

She said that upon her return to the bush, she discovered the lifeless body of Maseray. She returned home and later discovered the Soweis had brought her body and abandoned it at her (Isatu’s) parlour.

She said the police from the Rutile Division later went to the village and held a meeting after which they conveyed the body to the Bo Regional Headquarters. It was later taken to the Bo Government Hospital Mortuary where it was kept until 14 January 2022 when it was taken to Freetown for a postmortem by the Chief Medical Examiner.

Among other things, the postmortem report shows she died of acute hemorrhagic shock, profuse bleeding and clirodectomy all emanating from the cutting.

Maseray was laid to rest on Sunday 16 January 2022. Her children are currently being looked after by an anti-FGM group, AIM.

During Wednesday’s sitting there were dozens of Soweis in court clad in their white trademark head tie in apparent solidarity with the accused who is believed to be in her 60s. Anti-FGM activists were also present.

The case has been adjourned to 3rd August 2022.
Meanwhile activists say they fear for the safety of the witness, alleging that the Soweis have been on the lookout for her. They have asked for her protection.