January 8, 2019
By Yusufu S. Bangura
Musa Brima Bangura, a military colonel, was yesterday (Monday 7th January) remanded at the Freetown Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl.
Bangura, 47, was before Magistrate Santigie Bangura presiding at Court No.1 on one count of sexual penetration of a Child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offence Act No. 12 of 2012.
Police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent, Eric A. Deen, alleged that the accused on a date within Wednesday, 18th July to Friday, 20th July 2018, at Block B-1 Battalion Barracks in Freetown, allegedly penetrated a girl below the age of 18 to wit 14years.
The victim told the court that on the day of the incident, the accused approached her twice, asking her to meet him at his residence but she refused.
She added that on the third day, she was returning from the market together with her sibling when the accused intercepted and pleaded with her to find a day that she would help him with some domestic work.
The victim said she went together with her sibling to the accused’s residence and helped launder some of his clothes. The witness said the accused later asked her to help clean his bedroom.
She said no sooner she entered the bedroom than the accused followed her and closed the door, thus coercing her to have sex with her.
The victim further that after the forceful sexual intercourse, she observed blood oozing from her virgina, adding that the accused gave her some leaves of tissues which she used to clean up herself.
The victim further narrated to the court that when she came out of the room, she explained to her sibling about what had happened in the room.
She continued that when they returned home she refused to tell her mother, despite sibling had advised her to do so.
She said on the next day (Saturday) she went back to the accused’s residence and took his phone away, adding that the accused later went to her residence to collect his phone, but that she refused to give it to him.
She explained that her mother questioned her about the ownership of the phone, but admitted that she took it from the accused.
She said her uncle later asked her as to why she took the phone from the accused, adding that she told the said uncle about what transpired between them.
She further told the court that the matter was reported to the Adonkie Police Station, where a medical report form was issued to her.
The victim narrated that her mother took her to the Rainbow Centre at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) for treatment and later returned the medical form to the Adonkie police station and made statement.
The matter was adjourned to Wednesday 9th January.