By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens has remanded Adams Conteh after the Prosecution alleged that he sexually penetrated a 12-year-old girl.
The State is alleging that the accused penetrated his neighbour’s daughter between the 1st January and 12th August this year.
State Prosecutor, Musa Pious Sesay Jr. led in the girl as the first prosecution witness.
The child said that on the date in question, her friend went with her to the apartment of the accused during which the accused slammed the door shut and took off both his and her clothes and sexually penetrated her. She claimed the accused used a cloth to tie her hands before the act.
The child said that the accused repeated the same act up to two times. She said that on each occasion, she never told anyone what happened to her.
She said her parents eventually found out about what had happened when she fell ill and was taken to the hospital. The doctor at the hospital told her mother that she has an infection.
She said that the doctor later examined her to find out the cause of her infection and discovered that she has no hymen. She said that she was at first apprehensive to mention to her mother that it was Conteh that was responsible but later told her.
During cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Cyril Taylor-Young, the child said that the grandfather of the accused was severely sick and was always home. The girl also explained that a sister of the accused stayed indoors because she had a fractured leg.
She said that the accused and his entire family lived in a room and parlour with his entire family and that that was the same house she was sexually penetrated.
The mother, who testified as the second prosecution witness, said that the accused used to be their neighbor and only learnt about what had happened after she took her child to the hospital when she fell ill.
She said that she was shocked when the doctor told her that her daughter was suffering from infection. The doctor also explained that her daughter had been penetrated after conducting an examination.
She said she was shocked when her daughter told her that it was Conteh that penetrated her. She then informed her husband and they went and made a report to the police.
The police gave them a medical request form to visit the Rainbo Medical Centre for examination.
The third witness for the prosecution was the elder sister of the alleged victim. She said she used to send the alleged victim to drop cooked food to the mother of the accused.
Justice Stevens adjourned the matter to the 29th November this year, with the accused remanded at the male Correctional Centre.
Copyright © Politico Online 15/11/21
