FREETOWN — Four men appeared at a High Court in Freetown on Friday, June 25, 2026, charged with offenses related to the forcible marriage of a 17-year-old girl. The accused include the girl's father and the alleged groom, facing charges under Sierra Leone's 2024 Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

The four men are charged with contracting marriage with a child, consenting to child marriage, and aiding and abetting child marriage. Sierra Leone Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay confirmed this was the first time charges had been brought for offenses related to contracting, consenting to, or facilitating child marriage since the ban was enacted.

All four men initially pleaded guilty. However, the prosecutor re-classified the alleged groom's plea to "not guilty" because he claimed he had obtained consent from the child's mother under the Customary Marriage Act.

If convicted, the defendants face a jail term of at least 15 years, a fine of approximately $4,000, or both. Sesay stated, "The charges represent a significant milestone in the enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2024."

The alleged marriage took place in Grafton, on the outskirts of Freetown. The bride's father is alleged to have facilitated the marriage and played active roles during the ceremony. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for July 2, 2026.

Why It Matters

Menisa Sesay, President of Legal Access through Women Yearning for Equality Rights and Social Justice, stated that the charges showed legal reforms were finally being enforced. "I felt extremely happy," Menisa Sesay said. A Human Rights Watch report states that 30% of girls in Sierra Leone are married before age 18.