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The drowning of a 14-month-old baby, Hassan Foray, in a stream at Lower Georma, Pujehun District, has shocked residents after reports emerged that village leaders attempted to cover up the incident.
According to investigations, the child was under the care of his grandmother, Tenneh Koroma, when he wandered close to the stream and drowned while she was engaged in routine chores. Other women in the area, also busy with their tasks, only realized what had happened when Koroma began frantically searching for her grandchild. The baby’s lifeless body was later recovered from the stream.
Rather than immediately notifying the authorities, village elders allegedly decided to conceal the tragedy. The Village Speaker, Sello Koroma, reportedly warned residents against discussing the matter and instructed them to claim the child had died in his sleep. The baby’s remains were buried without police involvement or the knowledge of the paramount chief.
The cover-up began to unravel when an anonymous tip reached the Officer-in-Charge at the Bandaguma Sowa Police Station. Police officers were dispatched to the village, where arrests were made, including that of the grandmother.
It was during the investigation that the child’s mother, Hawa Kamara, learned her son had drowned a revelation that deepened her grief. She is now demanding justice, not only for her son but also to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“This was a preventable tragedy,” Kamara said, calling for government intervention to ensure accountability and stronger child protection in the area.
Residents of Sowa Chiefdom have also urged authorities to act, emphasizing that the rule of law must be enforced to safeguard children and restore trust in the justice system.
