April 22, 2021
By: Audrey. R. John
Justice Ivan Sesay has on the 21st April, 2021 sentenced Alieu Fofanah, and Alimany Chernor Kamara to ten years imprisonment for human trafficking.
The convicts Alieu Fofanah and Alimany Chernor Kamara on a date unknown between 1st April, 2019 and 17th September 2019 in Freetown engaged in trafficking in person Fatmata Alimatu Kamara from Sierra Leone to Oman, by means of deception for the purpose of exploitation.
The convicted persons were charged with six counts, ranging from conspiracy to commit human trafficking, money laundering, and obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
In his ruling, Justice Ivan Sesay J.A said, the first Prosecution Witness also the victim said that the accused persons promised to find a program for her at Turkey were she will further her studies.
He said the convicted persons took her to Oman were she was working as maid to an Arab man were she was treated badly and at some point her boss raped her. She said got pregnant and later the boss forced her to abort the pregnancy.
She further stated in her testimony that sometimes she worked over 20 hours a day, and hardly had time to rest or even eat.
The victim said she had at some point informed the first accused about the ill treatment she was subjected to in Oman. The accused is said to have ignored the calls.
The judge said the first accused told the police that she is speaking Arab and he has travel with a lot of people to most Arab countries.
Justice Sesay noted that he is convinced that the testimony made by the both accused persons at the police does not set them free of the charges against them.
Justice Sesay said after looking into the matter, he has come out with a guilty verdict for both accused persons on some of the couts.
He said the first accused is guilty on count one and counts 5, while the second accused is only guilty on one count. He concluded that on counts two, three four and six the accused are discharged.
He said the first accused is therefore sentenced to ten years imprisonment while the second accused is sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.