By Ragan M. Conteh

Macleana Oladuni Lina Bockarie, age 45, on 13 February 2024 reportedly under hiding due to alleged forceful ‘Bondo’ initiation in one of the villages in Pujehun District, Souther province of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Pujehun District remain one of the high prevalence rate of ‘Bondo’ secret society initiations in Sierra Leone.

This medium was informed that, Lina’s husband came from a cultural background that believes if a girl is not cut, she will grow up without bearing children or not married legally.

FGM is a practice that involves altering or injuring the female genital for non-medical reasons, and is internationally recognized as a human rights violation.

As one of the women in her community to have not undergone FGM, Lina Bockarie’s friends and neighbours reportedly teased her continuously with threats.

This medium was told that her husband’s aunt also became hostile towards her because Lina had asked outsiders to get involved.

Eyewitnesses account states that, when Lina realized that her husband’s relatives kept on pressuring her about being cut, she ran away from home.

Report states that, Lina Bockarie was also involved in a serious accident along Senbehun 17, few miles to Pujehun after rescuing her daughter who was also allegedly taken to a secluded ‘Bondo’ house for initiations.

After several efforts by Soweis to get Lina trapped for initiation, her daughter, Destiny Arminda Lina was smuggled into a house for initiation where her mother Lina used her influence through some of her friends who reportedly went to the ‘Bondo’ shrine and took her daughter out.

Sources stated that upon her efforts to escape out of Pujehun District she got a fatal accident  along the Highway in Sembehun 17, a tragedy which resulted Lina Bockarie to sustain serious injuries.

Family sources states that, she was rescued by one Mr. Foday Momoh who took her to a nearby medical facility.

According to reports, Lina is still at large and since her fatal accident, her whereabouts still remain unknown.

Some sources say, she escaped to Guinea, Conakry while other sources say, she is in a hideout in Freetown seeking medical treatment.

It could be recalled that, this is not the first time secret society has caused serious calamity on women and girls in Sierra Leone.

Many girls and women have died due to forceful initiations while some are now suffering from serious medical complications due to FGM.

Sources went on that, in spite of the serious accident Lina was involved in, Soweis’ in one of the villages in Pujehun have sent serious threatening remarks to the family of the escapee for forceful apprehension anywhere they found Lina and daughter.

This, according to rumors, Lina Bockarie and daughter has further absconded and their whereabbouts remain doubtful to all.

The nearby police have reportedly refused to take action in spite of the reports from family of Lina Bockarie and daughter situations.

Reports stated that the police have clearly revealed to Lina’s family that they are not meddling into secret society issues because it is a tradition they met.

Meanwhile, reports are conflicting about the situation of Lina and daughter.