August 1, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Magistrate Albert J. Moody, presiding at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, Friday committed a rape matter involving one Malcolm Reginald to the High Court of Sierra Leone for further trial.
The accused was charged with one count of rape, contrary to section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012.
The prosecution had alleged that the accused on Friday, 13 March 2016, at Benguima Road, in the Waterloo Judicial District, had sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent.
Before the committal of the matter to the High Court, the magistrate granted bail to the accused in the sum of Le25 million plus one surety who should be a resident owner of realty in Freetown.
Speaking earlier in court, Magistrate Moody said the complainant did not conclude her testimony and had informed the court that she was going to drop the matter, without stating any reason.
“The complainant had made a pronouncement that she did not intend to continue with the matter and since then she has not been appearing in court. Maybe the complainant had had a second thought on the matter and did not want to prosecute the accused,” said the magistrate.
Nonetheless, being a criminal matter, he went on to commit the matter for trial at the High Court.