Man, 57, sent to High Court for allegedly penetrating girl, 12

October 24, 2019

By Hassan Gbassay Koroma

Magistrate Abdul Sheriff presiding at Pademba Road Court  No.3 yesterday concluded preliminary investigation and committed to the High Court a sexual penetration matter involving 57-year-old Abdul Basiru Rahim, who on several occasions, allegedly penetrated a 12-year-old child.

The accused, who is now awaiting trial at the High Court, was in September, 2019, charged to court on a one count offence of sexual penetration contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012.

The prosecution alleges that the accused on 31^st of August 2019 in Freetown sexually penetrated the twelve years old girl victim.

In his committal statement, Magistrate Sheriff stated that the prosecution on the matter presented sufficient evidence to warrant the committal of the matter to the High Court for trial.

After the committal of the matter, the unrepresented accused pleaded with the magistrate to grant him bail, but his plea he was refused and sent back to the Freetown Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road, where he awaits his High Court trial.

 According to the statement of the twelve years old victim at the police, she lived in the same compound with the 57 years old accused, noting that she normally goes to watch TV at one room apartment, where the accused live with his wife and two kids.

She said on the day of incident, he had gone to watch TV show at the accused’s apartment, where the accused asked his children to go out and play outside.

She said during that time the accused’s wife had gone to the market.

She narrated that the accused later asked her to lie down on the floor while he penetrated her.

She narrated that the accused had done it to her severally.

She further stated that on 8^th of September, a nurse living in the same compound- Adama, suspected something and took her into a room and cheeked her, noting that the nurse lady later told her mother that she has started having sex.

She said she later told her mother that it was the accused after and the matter was reported to the police.