August 21, 2019
By Yusufu S. Bangura
A 13-year-old victim has yesterday (Tuesday 20th August) narrated how she was sexually abused by one Yanny Tachequee, 46.
The victim said she knew the accused through his father and that whenever he visited their compound, he would called her “My wife”
She said on the day of the incident, she was at home with her parents, when the accused visited her father and told him that he has a bag of rice for sale, but her father told the accused that he would only buy 60 cups because he hadn’t got enough money.
She said the accused told his father that the rice was at home and that she should collect it.
She added that in the evening hours of that same day, her father instructed her to collect the rice from the accused and that she left together with her younger sister (Fatima).
“When we arrived at the accused’s residence, he gave me the key to the house and asked me to open his room and measure 60 cups of rice. He left us there and go back to our house. I later closed the door and took the key to him,” she said.
She said on another date in March, the accused met her mother and requested that she launder his clothes, to which her mother consented.
She added that when they arrived at his residence, they entered the parlour whilst the accused was inside his room but later came out and gave his phone to her sister to play game.
“The accused sat on my sister’s legs and I told him to get up immediately. He moved from there and sat on my legs and I also told him to get up. He later took me and put me on top of his legs. He took me into his room and dropped me on the bed. He closed the door and removed my pant, and forcefully penetrated his penis into my vagina. After the forceful intercourse, I saw white liquid oozing from my vagina. He told me not to tell my mother,” she narrated.
She said after the intercourse, the accused gave her Le10, 000 because she was feeling severe pain.
She further stated that one day, she was at home not feeling bright, when her aunt sent someone to call her.
She said upon arrival, she questioned her about her health and observed that she was pregnant and eventually informed her father, who instructed them to go to the hospital for medical check-up where the doctor confirmed that she was indeed pregnant.
She said when her father asked who had had sex with her, she told her that it was the accused.
She stated that they later went to the Hill Top Police Station and reported the matter.
She said they were issued with a medical request form which they took to the Rainbow Centre at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) for medical treatment.
The victim said the document was later returned to the police where she made statement.
Defence counsel, S.A Conteh applied for bail on behalf of his client, but Magistrate Sheriff refused.
The 46-year-old man is currently before the court on one count of sexual penetration of a child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offense Act No.12 of 2012.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Gloria V.S Macauley alleges that the accused on a date between 1st March 2019 and 30th April 2019 at Sami town, new site, Leicester Village in Freetown, sexually penetrated a child below the age of 18 to wit 13 year-old.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Abdul Sheriff, presiding at the Pademba Road court No.3 remanded the accused and adjourned the matter to Friday 23rd August for ruling.