By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens has acquitted Jacob Musa, a WASSCE pupil who was standing trial for sexual penetration of his 17-year-old girlfriend.
Justice Stevens said yesterday 13th January this year that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses who testified against the young man were ‘incoherent’.
The Appeal Court Judge drew reference to the evidence of the first prosecution witness who was the alleged victim. The 17-year-old girl told the judge that she and Musa were in a relationship but that the young man never penetrated her sexually.
The alleged victim who turned 18 December last year, told Justice Stevens that she and the young man had been in a love relationship for three years.
This evidence is in contravention with the one given by the guardian and aunt of the girl, Oya Bailor. According to Bailor, results from Kingharmann Road Hospital returned that the girl had been sexually penetrated.
The police investigator, who was also the third prosecution witness, said that he acquired pills and a black mobile phone said to have been bought by Musa for the girl.
Detective Sergeant 11234 Charles Conteh told the judge that it was Bailor who said the phone and pills were bought by Musa for the girl.
The Exhibit Clerk, Police Constable 15221 Alimamy Morlai Turay tendered the said mobile phone and pills in court.
Musa, after being released, sandwiched by her mother and stepmother, told Politico that he is elated to be out.
“I thank the Almighty for this judgment,” he said with a beaming smile.
The young man admitted that although he was in a relationship with the girl, he never had sex with her.
“I don’t want the relationship again because her aunt does not like it,” the 26-year-old said.
Musa, who spent a year on remand at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre, admonished his peers and other men to avoid minors.
The young man said that he intends to re-sit the West Africa Senior Secondary School Examination (WASSCE) so that he can complete his subjects to enter university where he will study to become an accountant or a banker.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (14/01/22)
