A Ugandan mother was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inflicting female genital mutilation (FGM) on her three-year-old daughter in east London in 2017. The case represents the first successful prosecution for FGM in UK courts.
The woman, who has lived in the UK for years, was also jailed for two additional years over indecent images and extreme pornography charges. During sentencing at the Old Bailey, Mrs Justice Whipple condemned the act as "a barbaric and sickening crime," emphasizing that FGM constitutes child abuse.
Prosecutors revealed that the woman's home contained evidence of witchcraft, including cow tongues bound with wire and nails, and limes with names of police officers and social workers. The mother claimed her daughter injured herself while reaching for a biscuit, but medical reports contradicted this account.
Doctors at Whipps Cross Hospital reported the child suffered severe blood loss from the procedure. The judge noted the lifelong psychological impact on the victim, stating the mother had "betrayed her trust as her protector." The woman's former partner, a Ghanaian man, was cleared of FGM involvement but received 11 months for child pornography charges.
FGM, outlawed in both Uganda and the UK, persists in 30 African nations and parts of Asia and the Middle East. The World Health Organization estimates 125 million women globally live with its consequences, including infertility, infections, and childbirth complications.
