A heartbreaking testimony echoed through the halls of Parliament as Huliamatu Bah tearfully recounted the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, Jamestina Sowa.
Her emotional appeal was heard by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, and members of the Committee on Gender and Children’s Affairs, chaired by Hon. Catherine Zainab Tarawallie.
Bah accused Mr. Moses Gbapi, a resident of Mosongo Village in Kori Chiefdom, of deceptively taking her child under the pretext of enrolling her in a support program for young mothers. According to Bah, Gbapi assured her that the program—allegedly based in Freetown—would help her care for her child and that she would be able to visit her daughter regularly.
Speaking before the Committee in Room One of Parliament, Bah explained that due to her trust in Gbapi, whom she knew personally, she agreed to travel to Freetown with her daughter, accompanied by his brother, Jimmy Gbapi. Upon arrival, she was taken to an office presented as part of the said program and asked to sign a document already signed by Gbapi.
Though hesitant, Bah claims she was pressured to sign and subsequently handed her child over to a woman identified as Emma Banya, purportedly the program coordinator.
A few days later, when Bah attempted to visit her daughter, she was denied access. Jimmy Gbapi reportedly told her to always contact him before any visit and shockingly stated that the child “no longer belonged to her.”
Distressed and alarmed, Bah reported the incident to her sister—a police officer at the Waterloo Police Station.
Despite the matter being brought to the attention of law enforcement, Bah lamented that it was not treated with the urgency it deserved, prompting her to take her plea to Parliament.
In response, Chief Moses Gbapi admitted to discussing the child care program with Bah but denied any involvement in an adoption process.
He further claimed that he had previously been in a relationship with Bah and believed Jamestina was his biological daughter—a claim Bah has firmly denied.
The Committee on Gender and Children’s Affairs has since launched an investigation.
Chairperson Hon. Catherine Tarawallie has requested the child’s birth certificate and other relevant documents for review.
Both Jimmy Gbapi and representatives from the ministry allegedly connected to the program have been summoned to appear before Parliament on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Hon. Tarawallie has warned that failure to comply with the summons would result to arrest, emphasizing the seriousness of the case.
Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas urged the Committee to diligently pursue the truth and ensure justice is served, especially in cases involving vulnerable children.
Preliminary findings suggest that Jamestina Sowa may have already been adopted and possibly taken out of Sierra Leone—a development that has heightened the urgency of the ongoing inquiry.
The hearing is scheduled to resume on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Credit: Hassan Bangura
