By John S Conteh in Falaba
The Kabala resident High Court Judge, Justice Abdul Rahman Mansaray has sentenced one Gibril Komba Saffa Conteh to 12 years imprisonment for sexually penetrating a 4-year-old girl.
Conteh was arraigned in court on Saturday 23rd October this year in Mongo Bendugu, Falaba district.
The accused was standing trial on a one count indictment under the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 as amended in 2019.
The evidence revealed that the accused sexually penetrated the girl on the 5th July this year at Kiridu Village, Delmandugu Chiefdom in Falaba district, Northern Sierra Leone.
Conteh denied the allegation.
According to the evidence in court, the accused was playing with the child on the said date when he subsequently took her inside his house where he sexually penetrated her. The child later returned home in the evening and went to bed.
It is said that the child was unable to go to school the following day because she was crying of pain.
The evidence stated the mother when bathing her daughter on in the morning th saw blood oozing from her private. The mother later reported the matter to the Mammy Queen of the village and the Town Chief, the latter then referring them to the police.
The judge found Conteh guilty based on the evidence against him.
The trial was done by judge alone rather than by judge and jury after the State Prosecutor filed an application for the former in order for a speedy conclusion of the matter.
In another matter in front of the same judge, one Mohammed Barrie alias Taylor, a timber labourer and motor mechanic was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for burglary.
The State alleged that Barrie, 24, broke and entered into the house of one Hassan Gbla in Gbindi Town, Dembelia Sinkunia Chiefdom in Falaba and stole a mobile phone.
The particulars of offence revealed that Barrie on the 15th October this year broke and entered into Gbla’s house and stole a Tecno Camon 16 mobile phone worth the sum of 3 million 5 hundred thousand Leones (Le 3,500,000).
Justice Mansaray, also in another matter, convicted and sentenced one Hassan Bularoh Barrie, a 49-year-old butcher to nine years imprisonment for maliciously administering poison as to endanger life contrary to Section 23 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.
Barrie had maliciously given one Sulaiman Bah on the 19th August this year, caustic soda to eat. This, the court found out that, endangered the life of Bah.
The incident happened in Gbindi Town, Dembelia Sinkunia.
Four witnesses testified against Barrie including the victim Bah.
The judge found corroboration of evidence in the testimonies given by the four witnesses.
Justice Mansaray found Barrie guilty of the offence for which he was charged, and sent him to prison.
Copyright © Politico Online 27/10/21
