August 30, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura
Global Operational Manager at Credit Recovery Agency-Sierra Leone, Festus Brima Damba Mbayo, was on Monday before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie of Court No.2 on one count charge of Domestic Violence contrary to law.
The police alleged that the accused person on a date from August and December, 2016, psychologically abused one Aminata Turay with whom he was cohabiting.
Testifying before the court, Aminata Turay recognised the accused person as her boyfriend and recalled the date stated above, adding that the accused deflowered her when she was fourteen years old.
She told the Bench that after the accused person deflowered her, she became pregnant and that the former gave her the sum of ninety thousand Leones to abort the pregnancy, which she did.
Aminata said after the abortion, the relationship continued and that she became pregnant for the second time, adding that the accused person also gave her the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand Leones to abort the said pregnancy, but she refused to do so.
According to her, the accused person refused to take responsibility for the pregnancy and the child, noting that she struggled to bring up the child who was now thirteen years old and has been promoted to J.S.S 1.
Aminata said when the child was twelve years old, the accused person asked for forgiveness while they renewed their relationship, adding that she later noticed she was again pregnant, but the former declined responsibility.
“When I told him I was pregnant, he gave me the sum of two hundred thousand Leones to abort it, but I also refused to do so,” she said.
Aminata said the accused person used abusive languages on her whenever she called and informed him about the pregnancy, and that she later reported the matter to the Central Police Division.
While cross examining the victim, Lawyer J .J. Campbell asked as to whether she was aware that the accused was married and that he had other children, she replied that she had no prior knowledge about that.
She admitted however that she knew that the accused person already had two children with different women.
However, Magistrate Hannah Bonnie ordered that the accused person pay the sum of five million Leones to Aminata Turay as maintenance fee until she delivers and also ordered that a DNA test be conducted to prove whether the accused was responsible for the pregnancy.
The accused was granted bail in the sum of twenty Million Leones and one surety in like sum and should be gainfully employed.
Meanwhile, the accused yesterday paid the five million as ordered on Monday by the magistrate.
The matter was prosecuted by Police Sergeant 678 Sherrif.