By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens has ordered for a pupil, Jacob Musa, to be remanded in prison based on allegations that he sexually penetrated his 17-year-old ‘girlfriend’.
Musa was arraigned at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Freetown on Wednesday 8th December this year.
New evidence of the matter was revealed in court on Wednesday after the State Prosecutor, Musa Pious Sesay Jr. led Detective Sergeant 11234, Charles Conteh, in evidence as to the third witness for the prosecution.
Detective Conteh, testified in court that investigations of the matter started on the 9th January 2021 when a cousin of the girl, Oya Bailor reported to them a case of meeting a child for sexual purposes against Musa, the accused.
The detective said he took statement from the teenage girl and Bailor, on the same day the matter was reported to them.
He said in court that during the cause of their investigation, Bailor came again with the girl to the station and informed him of having taken the alleged victim to Kingharmann Road Government Hospital where they told her that she has been tampered with.
The police officer said he issued a medical request form to Bailor for the girl to visit One Stop Centre for another examination.
He said he obtained statements from the teenage girl and other witnesses between the 9th January and 10th February 2021 respectively.
Detective Conteh told the judge that he also obtained Voluntary Caution Statements (VCS) from the accused on the 13th of January this year for the allegation of meeting a child for sexual purposes and on the 2nd and 3rd February for the allegation of sexual penetration of a child.
He said on the 2nd of February this year, he was with the accused, the teenage girl, and her cousin for a visit to the alleged crime scene where he took photographs.
He added that after they returned to the station, Bailor brought to the exhibit clerk some drugs and a black mobile phone which according to her was bought for the teenage girl by the accused.
Detective Conteh said, in a cross-examination by Cyril Taylor-Young from Legal Aid, the age of the girl was determined by a school report card and a birth certificate brought to them by the complainant.
He conceded that they did not investigate the veracity of the said birth certificate of the girl.
He also acknowledged in court that the girl made a denial statement to them that the accused was her ‘boyfriend’.
He also explained how he went to the hospital where the alleged victim was taken and obtained a statement from the nurse who had examined the girl.
Justice Stevens adjourned the matter to Monday 13th December 2021 for the continuation of cross-examination of detective Conteh by the defence lawyer.
Copyright © Politico Online 10/12/21
