The practice of secret societies remains prevalent in the Northern region of Sierra Leone, with the Bondo secret society considered one of the most dangerous. On Sunday, 2nd of April 2023, an incident involving Laura Mansaray, her husband Abdul Sesay, and his friends Amadu and Hassan sparked a manhunt in Magburaka and Makeni.
According to reports, the family faced pressure to consecrate a secret society ground during the funeral rites of Laura’s mother, a senior chief and member of the Bondo society, as part of a traditional succession ceremony. Laura, the first and only girl child of her parents, lost both her father and mother, and was asked to take over her mother’s crown as chief. However, when Laura refused to be initiated into the Bondo secret society (Female Genital Mutilation, FGM) due to her beliefs and education, the elders were outraged.
The situation escalated when Laura and her daughter were forcefully kidnapped to be initiated. Her husband, Abdul, stormed the secret society bush with friends in a desperate rescue mission. In the process, he fatally stabbed one of the women involved in the kidnapping. Now, the family is on the run, with a nationwide manhunt launched, as traditional leaders consider the rejection and violence a serious violation of cultural norms.
