August 27, 2019
By Yusufu S. Bangura
One Morlai Turay, 38, yesterday (Monday 26th August) was committed to the High Court by Magistrate Abdul Sheriff presiding at the Pademba Road court No. 3, for allegedly penetrating a 12-year-old girl.
The 38-year-old was before the court on one count of sexual penetration of a child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offenses Act No. 12 of 2012.
Police prosecutor, ASP Andrew Cookson, alleges that the accused on a date between Wednesday 1st May 2019 and Sunday 14th July 2019 at Hill side By-pass Road in Freetown sexually penetrated a child below the age of 18 to wit 12 years.
Magistrate Sheriff stated that, “Having gone through the evidence so far presented in the preliminary investigations, I am satisfied that the accused person has a case to answer in the upper court. I therefore commit this matter to the High Court of justice for trial.”
He also ordered that the accused be remanded at the Male Correctional Centre until the commencement of the matter at the High Court.
Early, the victim identified the accused as her neighbour and recalled on the date in question, when her elder sister (Aminata) asked her to deliver food to one Uncle Hassan at Parton Street.
She said sometimes in the Holy Month of Ramadan, around 5pm, she was on her way home when she met the accused along New Road(Hill side by-pass), where he forcefully had sexual intercourse with her inside a drain.
She informed the court that the accused had penetrated her several times in the said gutter.
She added that the last incident occurred on Sunday 14th July, 2019, adding that she returned home late at night.
She narrated that her sister questioned her as to why it took her so long to return home.
She told the court that she explained what had transpired between her and the accused person who had sexual intercourse with in a gutter.
In a related development, Magistrate Sheriff also committed one Sahid Saidu Conteh to the High Court for allegedly penetrating a 16 year-old-girl.
Police prosecutor, Sergeant 1306 Augusta B. Sesay alleges that the accused on Tuesday 1st January 2019 at Ogoo Farm, Peninsular in Freetown, sexually penetrated a child below the age of 18 to wit 16years.
However, the accused was granted bail in the sum of 40 million Leones (Le40, 000, 000) and two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate ordered that the two sureties should be gainfully employed and should be residents in Western Area, adding that each of them should produce two passport pictures.
He noted that the bail must be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar of the High Court.