Judiciary of Sierra Leone Communications Unit, SOMC, Main Law Courts Building in Freetown: Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens (JA) sitting at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Freetown has sentenced 16-year-old Alie Bongo to 5 years imprisonment for sexually penetrating a child.
The convict was tried by a judge alone after an application for same made by State Counsel Jenneh B. Kamara was granted.
The Prosecution had alleged that the accused person on a date unknown between the 1st and 29th February 2020, in the Western Area of Freetown, engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a child contrary to the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012 as repealed and replaced by Section 4 (a) (i) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act No. 8 of 2019.
During the trial, the Prosecution led in evidence 4 witnesses including the victim and her mother.
In her evidence in chief, the 5-year-old victim who’s a Nursery two pupil told the Court that the accused Bongo forcefully sexually penetrated her.
She noted that she was taken by the accused to one Uncle A Boys’ room where the sexual assault on her took place, adding that she told one FA (her sister) about the incident and the matter was later reported to the police station.
At the close of the prosecution’s case, the accused also called witnesses in his own defense.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Momo-Jah Stevens said: “I clearly see corroboration in the case of the Prosecution. I have the conviction that the Prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The offender is guilty as charged.”
After the plea in mitigation by defense Counsel, Justice Stevens sentenced the convict to 5 years imprisonment and further ruled that, “because the offender is presently 16 years of age, he will serve the sentence at the Approved School until he attains the age of 18 and inattaining 18, the offender shall be transferred to the Correctional Centre to serve the remaining years.”
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