Four men accused of forcing underage girls into marriage have appeared in court in Sierra Leone, in a case funded by British taxpayers and backed by the Westminster government. The defendants, all from the northern district of Bombali, were remanded in custody after a brief hearing in Freetown on Tuesday. Sources confirm the case is the first of its kind under Sierra Leone’s 2007 Child Rights Act, which criminalises child marriage.
But it’s taken nearly two decades and a hefty injection of UK aid money to get here. Uncovered documents show the British High Commission in Freetown has quietly funnelled over £2 million into legal aid and judicial training for such prosecutions since 2020. Critics say it’s a drop in the ocean given the scale of the problem.
A 2022 report by UNICEF found that almost 30% of girls in Sierra Leone are married before the age of 18. The practice is deeply entrenched in rural areas, where poverty and tradition trump the law. The four men, whose identities are protected under a court order, allegedly married girls aged 13 to 15 between 2021 and 2023.
One of the victims, now 16, told investigators she was sold for £150 worth of livestock. The case has been closely watched by human rights groups, who hope it will signal a crackdown. But the trial is likely to face hurdles.
Local prosecutors admit they lack resources and that witnesses have been threatened. The UK’s involvement has also drawn scrutiny. Westminster has pledged £25 million to tackle gender-based violence in Sierra Leone since 2018.
Yet a leaked internal audit from the Department for International Development, obtained by this newsroom, reveals that only a fraction of that money has reached grassroots organisations. Much of it has been swallowed by consultancy fees and administrative costs. The court case is a landmark, but it risks being a hollow one.
Without sustained pressure and funding, the men behind bars could be scapegoats for a system that still fails thousands of girls. For now, the defendants will remain in custody until their next hearing in July. The judge warned them that the evidence against them is substantial.
The families of the victims, meanwhile, wait in fear. One mother told us: “They threaten to burn our house. No one is safe.
