June 23, 2016 By Hawa Amara
A 65-year-old man as Wednesday remanded at the male correctional centre on Pademba Road for an alleged sexual penetration of his 10-year-old niece.
The accused was arraigned at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No. 2, presided over by Magistrate Albert J. Moody, on one count of sexual penetration, contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused on 3 May, 2016, at an address in Lumley, sexually penetrated the victim who is under the age of 18.
In her testimony, the victim told the court that on the day of the incident, her grandmother was feeling sick and that the accused paid her a visit.
She said the accused came out of the house and met her cooking in the kitchen together with her elder sister.
She said the accused invited her to the corner of the house and asked her to buy him some fruit.
“I went to the accused and saw him playing with my younger sister’s breast. He asked me to follow him into the room of my other uncle so that he would give me the money. I refused and told him that my dad had warned me never to enter into that room,” she testified.
She continued that the accused again told her to enter into her grandmother’s room to collect the money for the fruit.
“We went to the room and the accused removed his trousers and asked me to remove my cloth, which I did. He told me to sit on his lap. I sat on his lap and he removed his penis and inserted it into my private part,” she said.
He explained that they were about to dress-up when her brother caught them and alerted their elder sister.
The victim told the court that the accused sexually penetrated her on three occasions.
She said her elder sister then took her to the Lumley Police Station and made a report and that a medical paper was issued to her for treatment at the Rainbow Centre at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital.
The matter was adjourned until 27 June, when the defense counsel will cross-examine the witness.
The matter is prosecuted by Inspector Adama Jabby.