OCTOBER 29 2009—Sierra Leone set a monumental precedent for anti-human trafficking with the third ever conviction under the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

Abdul Aziz Bundu was convicted on nine counts, including human trafficking, and sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.

WHI, through a Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking [FAAST] project, played an active role in this conviction by providing direct support to the victims, ensuring they were able to testify during the trial, and by publicly advocating for transparency during the trial.

Bundu, a former social worker, convinced local officials in 2006 to give him short-term supervision of three young girls who were estranged from their families. Instead of finding appropriate placement for the girls, Bundu relocated to another part of the country and told his new neighbors the girls were his daughters. There, Bundu forced the girls into brutal exploitation; even fathering a child by one of them.

Eventually one of the girls escaped, retreating to a local police office to inform them of the abuse. One of the officers she met, who had been trained by WHI-FAAST Anti-trafficking team to identify possible trafficking and exploitation, launched an investigation and notified WHI-FAAST.

WHI-FAAST responded with an immediate assessment of the victims’ physical and psychological conditions and provided Rapid Response Kits filled with clothing, food and supplies. WHI-FAAST also ensured the victims were prepared and able to give testimony against Bundu in court by providing emotional support and funding their transportation and lodging.

Working with the Sierra Leonean Government and other partners, WHI has worked toward placing the victims in safe and suitable recovery environments and coordinated appropriate long-term medical care and resettlement.

MUCH WORK TO BE DONE

The conviction and sentencing of Bundu is only the third successful prosecution for human trafficking in Sierra Leone under the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking Act. While it is a great achievement, there is much work to be done.

In an effort to continue the momentum, WHI-FAAST has recently helped to launch an inter-governmental review of the Act in order to facilitate better implementation and harsher sentencing for traffickers.

WHI-FAAST is hopeful that this conviction will deter future atrocities and spread awareness of the fact that human trafficking is a punishable crime with consequences.