By: Haja Hawa Koroma
On the 7th June 2022, the State vs William Smith matter was brought before presiding judge, Justice Komba Kamanda at the sexual penetration court of the High Court of Freetown, in a matter of Sexual Penetration.
According to the Statement of Offence William Smith is accused of sexual penetration contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 12 of 2012.
William Smith who is to be tried by judge alone and not by judge and jury is an aged man who is a carpenter and lives at No 4N Bolling Street kingtom. He is accused of sexually penetrating a girl far younger than him and has used force to rape her.
In his cross examination by the Defence counsel C. Campbell, he stated that they live in the same community with the victim and the victim’s relative knows both the victim and her relatives.
William Smith narrated that he was at home when two police officers invited him to the police station at Adelaide Street and upon his arrival he met the victim and her mother in her school uniform with her aunt Sento, and was informed that they had reported him of threatening and raping the victim.
According to the accused during his cross examination he added that the victim’s aunt Sento stated that, the accused had gone to buy food from her as she sells food, and that the accused had gone with the pan she puts the food in to his house and later, she sent her niece (the victim) to retrieve the pan from him and that was when he forcefully raped her.
The accused claims that he didn’t do it and that they were falsely accusing him of this Offence.
He further stated that, they accused him of having raped the girl at the kingtom Cemetery toilet and had tied her hands and mouth and had thrown the girl in the bush afterwards.
According to the accused he mentioned that there is no toilet at the cemetery and that they had went with two police to look at the crime scene, and they took photos of the store the girl took them to and thereafter returned to the police station.
The accused further stated that, prior to this matter, him and the family of the accused had a case and were not on speaking terms.
The Prosecutor Isaac Sesay also cross examined the client and asks whether it was a usual habit for him to buy food from the victim’s aunt.
The accused claims that he does not usually buy food from her and as a matter of fact he had never bought food from her.
The prosecutor contradicted this statement as he revealed evidence wherein the accused had initially answered to the police whilst giving his statement that usually he buys food from one of the victim’s aunt.
When asked about his claim that there is no toilet facility at the Kingtom Cemetery, he persistently stated that there is no toilet facility in the cemetery which also contradicts his statement to the police.
According to the statement he had said that the Ebola grave was used as a toilet facility at the cemetery but it has been closed for a long time, but the accused claims that he had never said that to the police. He then claims that he was at his carpentry shop on the day the incident took place and had not met with the girl. The matter has been adjourned to the 14th May 2022.
