August 24, 2016 By Patrick Jaiah Kamara
Raymond Fawaz and Aruna Conteh have been put on Le50 million bail plus one surety each after they appeared before Justice Musu D. Kamara for allegedly gang raping a child under the age of consent along Lumley Beach Road in September 2012.
The first accused person had denied his statement during their previous appearance, claiming that he could neither speak nor understand Krio at the time the statement was obtained from him.
The judge had to adjourn the matter for the accused to rethink his position, as she said it would waste the court’s time.
The accused dramatically made a U-turn yesterday and accepted the statement as his.
The duo is reported to have gang rapped a 16-year-old girl in an unfinished building along Lumley Beach Road in the early hours of 23 September, 2012.
Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Frances Aruna, told the court that he arrested both accused persons on 24 September, 2012 and obtained a voluntary caution statement from them.
He told the court that the scene of crime was an unfinished building, where a grass mattress was placed on the floor.
He said the victim identified a pant that was found at the crime scene as hers and that the said pant was recorded as exhibit that would be tendered in court.
He said an endorsed medical request form was returned to the station on 25 September, 2012 and that both accused persons were charged with the offence of unlawful sexual penetration.
State Counsel A. Jalloh told the court that he would summon the next prosecution witness if the defense failed to cross-examine the witness.
The matter will come up again on 30 September, 2016.