A lady named Fatmata Konteh- about26 years old is reported to have been prevented by her father- Mr. Kabia Salam Konteh from getting to know her late mother’s parents.

According to a family member, Mr. Sahr ChristopherGbamanja, this young lady was taken to France in 1998 at the tender age of about 6 years by the father after the death of the mother- WaraKargboin May, 1996 (during the civil war) as she was close to travelling to France.

Fatmata’s father, with whom she has been living in France, is reported to be refusing to let her daughter get any way near the family of her deceased mom including the grandmother who lives in Yele village, Northern Sierra Leone.

“Since the death of his wifein 1996 and later their son, Mr. Konteh never came for both funerals,”Gbamanja explained; adding that Mr. Konteh had fraudulently transferred the late wife’s travel documentswhich she had used to apply for visa around 1995-96 at the French Embassy in Freetown but was denied at the time, to his new wife- Kadiatu Kamara (commonly called Yabaki) who later travelled to France together with Fatmata Konteh, with the said documents on 2nd December, 1998 on Air France from Conakry, Guinea.

Speaking to Madam Adama Bangura, the grandmother of Fatmata Konteh, she explained, “I have been in touch with Mr. Konteh for the past 15-16 years but all my pleas have fallen on deaf ear as he is so determined to prevent me and the rest of our family including those in United States of America (USA) and Canada from having access to my granddaughter,” lamenting that she is not after Mr. Konteh’s money but to meet her only granddaughter in flesh after over two decades.

Mr. Konteh is confirmed to have tried to brainwash Fatmata into believing that his new wife is her biological mother (as the wife uses the particulars of late WaraKargbo)- a lie which the daughter has protested against while demanding to know her real mother.

An uncle of Fatmata Konteh who lives in Toronto, Canada- Sahr ChristopherGbamanjadisclosed that he once sent $50 to his niece in France through Mr. Konteh’s current wife- Yabaki who confirmed receipt of the said money but that later on, Mr. Konteh called him that there was a mistake on the name of the receiver.

“I then called him later to rectify the issue but he neither picked nor responded to my calls and messages,” Christopher went on to narrate.

The grandmother further explained that she had once complained to the younger sister of Mr. Konteh.

“His sister called him concerning my complaint and he promised to call back but never did,” Madam Adama Bangura stated; noting that it is so stressful and painful not to be able to meet her granddaughter up to now as she is getting older.

“I often dream of my late daughter (Wara) who blames me for not doing enough to ensure the family have access to her daughter,” Grandma Adama explained while crying.

This issue has also attracted the attention of the Chairman of the Sierra LeoneNationals Union in France who Mr. Konteh had promised to get in touch with to find a solution but to no avail.
Mr. Konteh is reported to be residing in France at the following address: 22 Avenue De La Liberty, 91700 STE Genevieve Des Bas, France (Home: 33 160162882) and (Cell: 33 612744740).

The grandmother in Yele Town can be reached on: 076509774 and Sahr Christopher Gbamnja, Fatmata’s uncle on: +1 416 429 7709 in Toronto, Canada.

The aggrieved family is urging the French Embassy or Consulate in Sierra Leone to promptly address this issue for an amicable solution.