Fatmata Binta Jalloh, a Sierra Leone born on January 15, 1989 in Freetown. She was born and raised in Sierra Leone, a small west African country known for its beautiful beaches and diverse wild life. She was also a very strong member of thee All People’s Congress. However, the country has been known for political instability and violence for the past years.
Over the recent years, there has been some contentions between the ruling Sierra Leone People’s party (SLPP) and the main opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC). This has led to political instability which has made many people to flee Sierra Leone because of threats to their lives. Fatmata Binta Jalloh found herself a victim of many deadly threats with physical (sexual) and mental abuse that prompted her seeking safety outside her country of birth. Fatmata is a victim of early childhood marriage and sexual assault. At the age of fourteen (14) years she was married off to an old man by her father and his brothers, however, with her mother’s help she ran away and started a new life in Guinea.
After two (2) years she returned to her country of birth, Sierra Leone. Upon returning, her mother encouraged her to continue her education, which she did. She currently holds a B. Sc. in Marine Biology and Oceanography from the University of Sierra Leone.
However, on November 20, 2016, she remarried to a man by the name of Mohamed Sallieu Thimeya Jalloh. After their marriage, Mohamed left to study in Turkey in November 2021. Presently, they already have three (3) children together.
Furthermore, she also went through rough time at age thirteen, when she suffered female circumcision (FGM) which continues affecting her even in her adulthood.
In June 2019, Farmata obtained a job at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Freetown. Her main functions were to oversee all fisheries activities within areas of jurisdiction. She took the work very seriously and she was nominated for best employee two (2) years in a row. Due to her hard work, she was well known and loved by her colleague workers for her industriousness.
On July 30, 2022, after her nomination for the best working performance of the year, the deputy political head of her office called her into his office to give her the award privately. According to sources, this political head of that office is a very powerful man in the ruling party. Initially, Fatmata was very excited as it was an honor to meet him personally because employees don’t get to meet him often. However, the outcome of Fatmata entering the office was a blatant sexual harassment. Furthermore, according to a particular source, while Fatmata was in her boss’s office, her boss started asking her personal questions at which point Fatmata felt uncomfortable and excused herself from his office.
On August 2, 2022, he called Fatmata again to his office because he wanted some clarification, he received from Fatmata’s supervisor about some documents she submitted. While Fatmata was there, he started touching her thighs. She begged him to stop because she was a married woman. He tried to deceive her that he was in love with her and that he can’t resist her because he had been dreaming of her since the first time he saw her. Fatmata however told him that she was not interested.
Three days after, he called her again into his office asking her personal questions and she told him if he didn’t stop she would report him.
When Fatmata said that, he became furious, he slapped her and held her down in the office floor and raped her. Fatmata cried with pain pleading with him to stop but he wouldn’t listen.
In the morning she tried to report to the police in Freetown but the police would not listen to her report, considering the status of the accused person. After that day she decided to resign because she was afraid of him as she knew he is a powerful man and that no one would believe her or listen to her as he said earlier.
Moreover, on August 10, 2022, there was a peaceful protest in the country which was turned into riot. Fatmata was part of the peaceful protest because she believed that change was necessary for the country. The human rights violations and sexual harassment was too much in the country.
Coincidentally, her former boss was around where she was standing and when she heard his name in the crowd and turned, it was him and his boys (acoloytes). They took hold of Fatmata and a few other women and they were taken to an unknown location where they were beaten and raped.
Fatmata was raped multiple times by him and his boys. They poured hot water on her back and beat her. He could not stop threatening her. He told her that if she dares to tell anyone she would not live to explain what will happen to her.
Fatmata was depressed and could not leave the house for days and she asked her mother to come help her out with the children since she was not feeling well and was even scared to go to the hospital.
Three weeks later the ruling party launched a committee to find people who were involved in the protest because of the impact it had on the civilian population. Many people were injured and traumatized, as innocent people died. The government’s most wanted’ were displayed in order to isolate them. Fatmata’s former boss called her and was threatening that he will put her name in the list if she dared to say anything. At this point Fatmata moved to the province to a family friend by the name of Mamud Keita in order to hide for her safety.
While she was there she continued to receive threats on her phone from her former boss. His boys further threatened her that they knew where Fatmata was hiding and that they will make sure they come to arrest her to bring her to him.
At this point Fatmata could not seek the authorities for help because of her former boss’s status as a Minister, so she had to escape for safety.