The suspect, who believed to be in his 60s. He is currently under police custody as investigation into the matters continues.
A source who is familiar with the matter and wished to speak to our reporter on the condition of anonymity has confirmed the development to The Point.
Our source added: “The victim father who’s a close friend to the suspect (Modou Danso) attempted to cover-up the matter due to his friendship with the perpetrator. However, Child Protection Alliance (CPA) plays an instrumental role in ensuring that the suspect is arrested.”
According to our source, the suspect came into the young girl’s compound and found that there was nobody in the house. “However, due to the friendship between the victim's father and the perpetrator, the young girl decided to give the suspect Mr. Danso breakfast as he normally has his breakfast and lunch at the said compound.”
The suspect, having had his breakfast, our source added, forcefully took the girl to her mother’s bedroom and had a carnal knowledge of her and later threatened to kill her if she had told anyone about the incident.
As a result of the threat, our source explained, the victim couldn’t narrate the incident to anybody as to what transpired between her and the suspect.
“Unfortunately for the suspect, the rape turned out to be a cause of pregnancy. Therefore, when the mother noticed that her daughter did not go through her monthly menstruation, she suspected that something might have happened to her.”
Our source further added: “The mother therefore tried to engage the young girl as to who was responsible for her pregnancy, but the girl would not reveal anything as to what transpired between her and Modou due to the fact that the suspect threatened to kill her.”
Our source added that the young girl was later moved to her aunt’s compound who later engaged her in conversation so as to know who was responsible for her pregnancy. The girl later informed her aunt that it was Modou who raped her and threatened to kill her if she had revealed it to anybody.
The girl’s father, our source went on, was later informed that it was his close friend (Modou Danso) who’s responsible for her daughter’s pregnancy. “Modou was invited and he confessed that it was him that impregnated the young girl but it was due to “Satan’s influence.”
“However, when Modou left the compound he decided to send in two elderly people to the girl’s compound for them to plead on his behalf for forgiveness. The father decided to say that as far as people have pleaded on behalf of suspect, “thus let bygones be bygones.” However, this was the time that CPA was informed about the incident.”
Lamin Fatty, the country coordinator for CPA, who was contacted for comment also confirmed the development to The Point.
“CPA will not comprise anything that has to do with child abuse; be it from anybody unless and until we don’t get the information. However, if we get the information we will follow it up to the latter to make sure that children of this country are protected and perpetrators must face full force of the law where they’re found guilty.”
“We have seen interference when such things happen. Some people would always attempt to mediate. We have to understand that as Gambians and members of the community, we have to know that violation of such rights is beyond family level; hence cases of rape can’t be negotiated even at the level of police stations. Every case of rape must be taken to the police for possible prosecution.”
“We also urge the community where they reported such cases to the police and they get frustrated, let them report the matter to CPA or the Department of Social Welfare to make sure that we take appropriate action so that these things become history in the country.”
