Four men appear in Sierra Leone’s first child marriage prosecution
Four men have appeared before the High Court in Freetown in the first prosecution under Sierra Leone’s landmark child marriage law, marking a major step in enforcing legislation introduced two years ago.
The accused, including the 17-year-old girl’s father and her alleged husband, face charges linked to the forced marriage of a minor. While all four initially pleaded guilty, the alleged groom’s plea was changed to not guilty after he claimed he had obtained consent from the girl’s mother under a former customary marriage law. Authorities say that legislation is no longer valid following the introduction of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
If convicted, the defendants face a minimum prison sentence of 15 years, a fine of about $4,000, or both. The next court hearing has been scheduled for 2 July.
The case is being hailed as a landmark moment by women’s rights campaigners, who say it demonstrates that Sierra Leone is beginning to enforce tougher protections for girls. Despite the legal reforms, child marriage remains widespread in parts of the country, with human rights groups estimating that nearly one in three girls marry before the age of 18.
