1819431 (Refugee)

The applicant sought review of a decision to refuse her protection visa application. The applicant, a Christian from Sierra Leone, claimed she faced persecution due to an imputed political opinion against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She alleged that her Muslim family would force her to undergo FGM, and that she had previously been abducted by members of the Bondo society, acting on her parents' instructions, with the intent of forcing her to participate in the practice. She asserted that if returned to Sierra Leone, she would be at real risk of serious harm.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether the applicant had established a well-founded fear of persecution for a Convention reason, specifically an imputed political opinion, such that she would be entitled to a protection visa. This required the Tribunal to assess the applicant's credibility and determine if there was a real chance she would suffer serious harm upon return to Sierra Leone.

The Tribunal found significant inconsistencies in the applicant's account of her residential history and the circumstances surrounding her alleged abductions. Specifically, the applicant provided conflicting details regarding the duration and location of her residences, and the timeline of events related to the Bondo and Sowei societies. These discrepancies led the Tribunal to conclude that the applicant was not a reliable witness. Consequently, the Tribunal was not satisfied that there was a real chance the applicant would suffer serious harm, either at the time of the decision or in the future, if returned to Sierra Leone.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision under review.