By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
Justice Michael P. H. Mami of the Sexual Modern Offences Court No.7 in Freetown has on Friday 17th February 2023 sentenced Philip Mamie to 15 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of sexual penetration offenses.
According to the Judge, the State alleged that the accused Philip Mamie on the 6th of August 2019 at Freetown in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone engaged in an Act of Sexual Penetration with a child.
Upon arraignment, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offense. The State in proving its case against the accused person called in four witnesses.
The victim testified that the accused is her stepfather and that on the date in question, her mother went out to buy goods and she was with the accused at home, and used the opportunity to lured her into his room, removed her pants and forcefully inserted his penis into her mouth and her vagina, says the victim.
The victim said that the accused also penetrated her when her mother was asleep and did so severally even on a chair in their house, that blood was oozing from her vagina and she felt pained all over her body.
The judge also stated that the victim in her testimony said she felt pained when the accused penetrated her and that the accused would tell her to wash herself up when he did the Act.
Later, the mother of the victim confronted the accused person about the allegation, but the accused denied such doings.
The Investigating officer testified that the matter was reported at the approved police station where the accused used threatening and abusive language at the victim’s mother and the victim, with such remarks made; action was taken to protect the victim, and the victim was in care at the Don Bosco home.
The investigating officer informed the court that the accused tried to escape the Holden facility at the approved police station due to this action he was transferred to the CID headquarters in Freetown for investigations.
However, the testimony of doctor Olabisi Claudius Cole that the victim had a ruptured hymen with breaks at 2’0clock and 9’0clock, offensive vaginal discharge and redness, that the victim developed an infection due to the forced penetration.
An additional witness was called who testified that the accused threatened to kill the victim. The accused relied on his statement made to the police when he was asked to make a selection during the committal process at the magistrate court.
Therefore, Justice Mami found the accused person guilty and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment, whereas the accused person did not plead for mercy but rather stated that he was not 100% guilty of the offense.
Defense Counsel for the accused person was absent.