Police in Sierra Leone have arrested a woman, Fatmata Barrie, who brutally beat up her 5-year-old niece, Mariama Musa, for taking food from the pot to eat after being starved for a whole day. 

According to an eyewitness, the incident happened at Murray Town Barracks in Freetown a few days ago. 

“This 5-year-old girl was recently brought by this woman pictured below who is an aunt from the village to help her with domestic work at home. This is just one of several child cases of abuse this particular woman usually does to this poor little girl in the name of discipline. We are calling on the authorities to come to the aid of this poor child as the woman is boasting about the fact that her husband is a soldier and no one can do anything, not even the police. They live in a popular compound called Capt. Thoranka’s compound within the same Murray town barracks,” the witness said. 

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, September 11, 2023, saying that the child is currently undergoing medical treatment. 

“The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has been monitoring the child cruelty allegations in a video shared on social media,” the statement read.

“As part of the investigation carried out during the monitoring, the Commission’s Directorate of Gender and Children’s Affairs identified the victim as Mariama Musa a five-year-old child living with her aunt Fatmata Barrie at Murray Town Barracks in Freetown.

“According to information collected from the police during the engagement, the victim is currently undergoing medical examinations at the Sight Savers. Meanwhile, the perpetrator is in custody at the Congo Cross Police Division in Freetown.”