False! Two girls who reportedly got married have not been sentenced

Claim: A viral Facebook post by Queen Kadish alleged that two girls who married each other in Sierra Leone have been sentenced to five years and three years in prison, respectively.

Verdict: False! The Sierra Leone Police Media Team, through ACP Brima Kamara, confirmed to DUBAWA that “the claim is not true.” There is no credible evidence or official report to support the allegation that the two women were sentenced.

Full Text

A Facebook user named Queen Kadish Love posted a report claiming that the Sierra Leone Police had set an example by arresting and ensuring the imprisonment of two girls who married each other.

The post alleged that one of them was sentenced to five years and the other to three years and some months. It further claimed that “Sierra Leoneans are happy with what the police did.”

The post has since attracted several reactions and shares, sparking heated debate online over LGBTQ+ rights, the role of the police, and the law in Sierra Leone.

Verification

DUBAWA contacted Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Kamara, the head of the Sierra Leone Police’s Media Team, for clarification.

In his response, ACP Kamara described the claim as “Not true.”

He further noted that the Sierra Leone Police does not have the authority to sentence individuals, as sentencing is the function of the courts under the country’s judicial system.

A review of official police and media reports, including the Sierra Leone Police Facebook Page, the Sierra Leone Judiciary Facebook Page, and credible local news platforms, showed no record of such an arrest or conviction.

Conclusion

The claim that two girls who married each other in Sierra Leone have been sentenced to prison is false. The Sierra Leone Police, through ACP Brima Kamara, has denied the report, stating it is “not true.” There is also no judicial or official record of such sentencing.