GUINEA - In the town of Koundara, Salimatou Camara was burned on both feet by her biological mother named Aissatou Barry. Her crime? Having lost the keys to the house. The alleged perpetrator of this act is free whilst the abused girl, the victim, risks losing the use of her lower limbs permanently if nothing is done.

According to Ms Saran Kaba Silany, prefectural Director for the Promotion of Women, Children and Vulnerable People, this is a case that dates back several months. The girl Salimatou Camara victim, was able to walk, and wanted to go to her father who lives in Senegal. For the first time, the little girl tried to leave her mother to go to Senegal, but finally, the director, through her service, gave advice to her and her mother at the Koundara police. 

“It's been almost a month since I was called by the police. It was around 6 p.m. one evening. The first time the girl was identified by the neighborhood chief of Wounouwol, we went there to see the girl where she was. I took her to send her to a reception center. But given her age (8 years old) I didn't want to send her to a reception centre. I asked the girl if she can recognise her home, she said yes. As there was a Social Worker who had recognised her mother, we went to see her. The police called her and she came.

For the first time when the girl was identified, she was brought to the police, her mother, me, OPROGEM, the Office for the Protection of Gender, Childhood and Morals (OPROGEM), we were all there. When I asked the little one, she told me that she wants to go to her father who lives in Senegal. She was a girl who could walk. She wanted to go to her dad's, that's what she told us. I advised her against it, given her age, that she can't go. I gave her and her mother some advice. The mother made a promise because OPROGEM wanted to transfer her case to face justice. But since she is a lady who has two other little ones, I asked that we give her advice and that she returns home to take care of her children,” explained Ms Saran Kaba Silany, Director of OPROGEM (Office for the Protection of Gender, Childhood and Morals.

Saran Kaba Silany continues: “Some time later, the neighborhood chief of Wounouwol called me to alert me to the case of a girl. He also contacted the police who also informed me through OPROGEM. It was around 6 p.m., I went with the social worker. The district chief introduced me to the girl who was in very critical condition. Seeing the little one (burned in both feet) I was really disappointed. I called OPROGEM who came to the scene. I asked the social worker to go to the girl's mother's house to meet her and talk to her. When the social worker went to her home, he asked the lady where her child is, she replied, ''Salimatou?'' She went out today but when she comes back I'm gonna beat her again. The social worker had gone up because he saw that the woman did not understand the seriousness of her act. This is how he retorted, ''you are a criminal, why did you burn your own daughter's feet''? She said to him, “I burned her feet? Wait I'm going to go to Customs to charge my phone''. But it was a pretext to flee. She went to Customs, we stayed waiting for her until 10 p.m., we didn't see her. So I decided to send the girl to a reception center. 

I said to myself, since the judge for children is informed, he himself has seen the state of the little one, the police are also informed, I said to myself that our primary concern now is the best interests of the child. 'child. This is how I placed the little one in a reception centre. This is how he retorted, ''you are a criminal, why did you burn your own daughter's feet''? She said to him, “I burned his feet? Wait I'm going to go to customs to take my phone''. But it was a pretext to flee. She went to customs, we stayed waiting for her until 10 p.m., we didn't see her. So I decided to send the girl to a reception center. I said to myself, since the judge for children is informed, he himself has seen the state of the little one, the police are also informed, I said to myself that our primary concern now is the best interests of the child.  This is how I placed the little one in a reception centre. 

In the morning, we went to the police. From there, we went to where the lady said she was going to charge her phone. With the help of OPROGEM, we tried to find her to get our hands on her, in vain. But while accompanying the daughter for her treatment, she suddenly saw her mother, “here is my mother”. There were barely 100 meters between us, as soon as I turned my motorbike, she disappeared into nature. I never saw her again. Finally my colleague and I are told to let OPROGEM take case of the mother. 

That same day, at night, the mother came alone to my house to see me. She came to justify herself by trying to tell me that the Salimatou girl (both feet burned) is suffering from an illness. I told her that we are going to go to the police so that she can explain herself there. I even asked her if it's her own daughter? She told me, yes! And I told her that the child is categorical, she says "it's my mom who burned my feet". And according to our neighborhood inquiries, she was the one who burned her daughter's feet. I called OPROGEM, they came to get her to bring her to the police. 

Some time later, she came to tell me that the police told her to go home, that the next day she will go back to the police. 

Afterwards, OPROGEM contacted me to ask what fate to reserve to the lady? I said that I did my role, that is to say to arrest the alleged author of the act, the rest, it is up to them to take it to court. I think that OPROGEM transferred it to the level of the court. 

I even went to see OPROGEM to ask them what happened, but I got nothing clear. The mayor called me, I went so far as to see even the prosecutor to show him the child.  He saw her and even said that ''it's terrible'' while promising to arrest the mother. We, since the case is with the court, it is the best interests of the child that interests us,” Ms Saran Kaba Silany added.

Bintou Diallo, the one to whom the girl was entrusted, maintains that the lady Aissatou Barry is still not arrested, so free to move in the city of Koundara. 

“I received the girl on 30 December 2022. I was told that she was burned by her mother because she lost the key to their house. But the doctor who treats the child told me that it has been a year since this act happened because the police had asked who treated the child. This is how Dr. Bailo who works at the hospital said that he was the one who treated the girl and that he had received her in critical condition. Eventually both of the child's feet would have to be amputated. The police said they would arrest the mother, but she only spent one day at the police station. She came back and now continues her bean trade at border customs.

I even questioned the prefectural director of social action, of the promotion of women in relation to the case of the mother. She just told me to take care of the child. Three weeks later, I was going to the hospital for the girl's dressing, I saw the same lady walking around to go to the ceremonies. I spoke about it to the mayor of the town who immediately called the director Saran Kaba Silany.  She explained to him the steps she had taken for the mother. 

Today, the child is here in Koundara, out of school. I even called her father to speak to him about it.  He told me that he often sends money to his wife for the schooling of Salimatou, but nothing. And that he himself is afraid of his wife. 

When Salimatou sees others children going to school, she cries,” concluded Bintou Diallo.

Reached by telephone by a journalist from Africaguinee.com, Abou Nantenin Konaté, deputy Prosecutor of the Justice of the Peace of Koundara declared that the case is under investigation.

Source: Africaguinee.com