On the streets of Freetown, especially around the Freetown Central, prostitutes are known as Kolonko because
of the hissing sound and the bold manner they use to hail down men driving or walking by. International NGOs
as well as Government officials, personnel from the security forces, foreigners and citizens among others can
often be seen picking up scantily-clad girls. Prostitutes say police often rape them when they were arrested for
loitering and other related offences.
“Sometimes, they took all what we have earned and when they cannot get that they asked us to bail ourselves and
when we refuse to do that, they ended up raping us as an alternative to taking us to court,” said one of the ladies
at the Texaco junction who described herself as Fattie.
“We are not criminals but hustlers, who have responsibility on our backs to carry. Some of us are educated but
cannot secure a job and therefore had no other option but to indulge in this business to make ends meet. I agree
that some of our colleagues are in this business for fun and causing havoc such as robbery and drugs but those
type should not be associated with us,” added the 19 year old lady.
Another accused the police of refusing to wear condoms and put them at the risk of contracting the dreaded
HIV/AIDS virus. She explained that the police hand cuffed them and had sex with them against their will and
later released them.
“Sometimes, more than two police officers will gang rape a single lady and nothing will come out of it because
most of us are ashamed of letting the public know our night ordeal,” she added
At the gate of a nearby motel called Kadjibs Plaza, now used mainly as a brothel, a Nigerian businessman is
having a fight with another prostitute, who described herself as Christiana. She said she is 19, but looks younger.
Most prostitutes refused to disclose their actual age. The Nigerian customer was about to cancel the contract
after he had already paid the agreed sum to the lady. He was accusing her of being drunk and that he do not want
to use condom but Christiana said she was high to avoid being scared and that if the Nigerian wants a “flesh to
flesh sex” (sex without condom), he should make an additional Ten Thousand Leones to the already paid Fifteen
Thousand.
“Sierra Leone, these days is very hard and we need to find our daily bread with prostitution our only quick
option. We don’t want to do it but situation forced us to. I am a second-year University student with nobody to
take care of me. Where do you expect me to get money from to finance my educational pursuit?” she enquired.
There are several other bars around this area and they include the popular The House Relaxation commonly
known as ‘Bod Ose’, Saloon and Eddie Matthews among others. There are always loud arguments here and there
as girls made their selves available to every male passer-by.
In contrast, the mood is peaceful at a rescue center for street children in the Eastern part of Freetown. Girls are
seen playing board games but their stories are just as horrific as those on the streets.
One of the Aid workers said the prostitutes she saved are sometimes very young.
"The age, 16, 14, 12, there is no fixed age, they are trying to survive, just survive. Men can easily take them to
bed because of money. The younger ones around the age limit of 14 are easily counseled but those that are above
returned back to prostitution after one or two months," the Aid Worker said.
One of the center's councilors said sometimes the girls' own parents forced them to become sex workers.
"The parents haven't got anything… The children will just go into the streets, whatever they have they will bring
to the parents because of poverty. If you take your time especially during the night in any big town such as
Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Port Loko, Moyamba, Kono and even Kailahun among others, you'll see them
going around and even in offices and military or police barracks, they go there because they want money."
A retired police officer, who described himself as Supt. Kamara confirmed the rape allegations but have another
version to the story.
“Sometimes, the prostitutes ask us to have sex with them rather than charging them to court. They willingly
offered us sex and at times money but the fact is some of us have on several occasions acted as cover for them in
return for sex or money,” he added.
The Sierra Leone Police Media Officer, Supt. Samura could not be reached but a junior officer in that department
denied the allegations and told this press that the matter will be investigated by his superiors in due course and
detractors punished.
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