By Mabinty M. Kamara
Magistrate Abdulai Sheriff of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 3 has committed the case of an alleged rape of a 13-year-old deaf and mute girl to the high court.
Magistrate Sheriff has presided over the case for the last one month as part of preliminary investigations.
The accused, Joseph Samuel Bassie, is facing a charge for sexual penetration of a child below the age of 18, contrary to section 19 of the sexual offences Act of 2012 as replaced by sections 4 of the sexual offences Act of 2019.
In cross examination during a previous hearing, the alleged victim, through a sign language interpreter, Police Constable Fatu Kamara, told the court that on October 10 last year the accused entered her room when she was studying in her bed after school and raised her dress and removed her pant and sexually penetrated her.
Last week the court heard the testimony of the police witness, Alpha Bangura C/PC 17685, attached to the family support unit at the Grafton Police station.
The first appearance before Magistrate Sheriff was on the 3rd of March this year during which the accused was denied bail. However, on the second appearance on the 6th of March, the accused was granted a Le40 million bail with two sureties.
Bassie has since been on bail until the case was committed to the high court on Monday.
Magistrate Sheriff noted that the bail will continue to the high court.
No date has been slated for the first high court hearing.
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