By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Detective Sergeant 18307 Kargbo Abdul Aziz of the Sierra Leone Police has told Justice Manuela Harding that their investigations implicated a student Ibrahim Kargbo alias Junior in the sexual penetration of an 11-year-old child.
The detective was testifying as the fourth prosecution witness at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Freetown on Tuesday 7th December 2021.
Sergeant Kargbo from the Lumpa Police Station in Waterloo said their investigations started when a report of sexual penetration was made to him by the complainant on the 6th of April this year while he was on duty.
He added that it was his colleague, Detective Harding that allocated the file to him for further investigation and for which he issued a medical request form for the alleged victim to be examined at the Rainbo Medical Centre, Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH).
He said in court that on the same day, statements were obtained from the girl, complainant, and other witnesses.
He said on the 8th of April 2021, he and a colleague officer visited the alleged crime scene where the girl pointed to a bed on which she claimed the accused sexually penetrated her.
He said the accused was later arrested on the same day at a community called Mano Corner, Lumpa in Waterloo.
Detective Kargbo said the medical report was returned to the police on the 23rd April 2021 and that he wrote a final progressive report before the matter was transferred to Ross Road Police Station for further investigations.
The police officer, in cross-examination by a lawyer for the accused from Legal Aid, Randy Bangura, said the alleged victim is an 11-year-old girl but that the mother told them that the child is 12 years of age.
Kargbo said they visited the alleged crime scene even before receiving the medical report.
He told the judge that their investigation of the matter was completed even though he admitted snapshots of the said crime scene were not made available in court.
Justice Harding adjourned for continuation of the matter on the 14th December 2021.
Copyright © Politico Online 08/12/21
