A Junior Secondary School (JSS) II pupil of the Moana Jonny Secondary School Camp Junction Waterloo (name withheld) has been impregnated by a 65-year-old man identified as Mr. Mohamed Abdul Leigh of No. 112 Waterloo -Masiaka Highway
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from child rights advocates, community leaders, and the general public, who described the act as both criminal and morally irresponsible.
According to an investigation carried out by The Informant, the young girl, barely in her teens, was coerced into a relationship with the elderly man, who exploited her vulnerability as the young girl came from a poor living situation in the same neighborhood.
After discovering she was pregnant, Mr. Mohamed Abdul Leigh, the accused took the girl to Bama village, where she later delivered a baby boy.
Hiding from his legally married wife and the community people at Waterloo, Mr.Mohamed Abdul Leigh went to the village and promised the family that he would marry the young girl by presenting gola nuts in a traditional way.
He promised the poor victim’s family that he would take full responsibility for the young girl and her child. While the young girl was nursing her first child, Mr.Mohamed Abdul Leigh impregnated the young girl again for a second child without bothering to send the girl to school to continue her education.
The Informant’s investigation has revealed that Mr.Mohamed Abdul Leigh has allegedly refused to take responsibility to take care of the poor girl and her two kids, leaving the minor to face the consequences alone in raising the two kids.
It was also revealed to The Informant that, the perpetrator is currently in hiding for fear of prosecution.
Organizations working to protect children have called for swift justice, stressing that the case highlights the urgent need to enforce laws against the sexual exploitation of minors. “This is not just a crime against one child; it is a crime against society,” Mr.Peter Lewis, an activist, told The Informant, urging authorities to prosecute the perpetrator and provide support for the victim.
Residents at the Leema community, Waterloo -Masiaka Highway, have expressed shock and anger, demanding accountability. Many argue that such cases are often swept under the rug, allowing predators to escape justice.
The Informant investigation team was also alerted that this is not the first or second time, as the accused is known for exploiting young girls by sleeping with them.
A community member told The Informant that the government, through the Hands Off Our Girl, should step into the matter for justice to prevail, while emphasizing the importance of protecting schoolgirls from abuse, noting that education and safety must go hand in hand.
A legal expert told The Informant that the act constitutes statutory rape under Sierra Leonean law, and abandoning the victim further aggravates the offense.
At Waterloo, calls are mounting for the Ministry of Social Welfare and law enforcement agencies to intervene, ensuring the girl receives medical, psychological, and educational support while the perpetrator faces trial.
This case underscores the vulnerability of young girls in Sierra Leone and the urgent need for stronger enforcement of child protection laws.
The public is demanding not only justice for the victim, but also systemic reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
When The Informant investigation team contacted Mr Mohamed Abdul Leigh for his side of the story through his phone, he declined not to comment. The Informant investigation team has more evidence to help the authorities in their investigations