June 9, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
The Leader and Chairman of the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP) Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray who is alleged to have sexually penetrated a fifteen year-old-girl appeared before Justice Samuel O Taylor at the Modern Sexual Penetration Court in Freetown on 8th June, 2021. The accused person is before the court on seven counts charge according to the Sexual Offense Act of 2019.
When testifying defense witness said he spent the 14th February, 2020 in Makneh at Makeni and he was not alone at his resident.
He continued that he left on the 16th February, 2020 in the afternoon for Kono and he went with his plumber, electrician and carpenter to give an estimate of the building materials to roof the houses in Kono.
He said there names are Alpha, John Josiah and they all stayed at the Lion Mountain Hotel including his fiancé Isha Mansary (DW1) in Kono.
Mr Mansaray said he returned to Makeni on the 2nd March, 2020 to oversee the window work in Kono. He recounted that he went to Bo on the 2rd March, 2020 to oversee the building of the window guard.
He said he left Bo on the 7th March, 2020 for Kono to supervise the roofing of his property in Kono where he spent eleven days.
He was in Makeni when the President declared the Covid-19 lockdown but according to him, he returned to Freetown on the 3rd April, 2020 to get a pass from NaCOVERC to help in the sensitization of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The politician said he was surprised when PW 1 testified that he was in Freetown and took her to his house sometimes in March, 2020 as according to him, he left on the 11th February, 2020 for Freetown on 3rd April, 2020 and he was between Makeni, Kono and BO criss-crossing.
The first accused said he has never taken PW 1 to his house or any part in this country. He said that the co-accused person have never taken PW1 to his house. According to the ADP leader, his house in Freetown is at No.7 Tucker Drive Majah Town and he has two other residents at his house by the name of Alimammy Kamara and Mohamed Bailor Bah.
He continued that he has never had sex with PW 1 in his life as some of his values are to protect young girls and that he has never virginated a woman which is contrary to the teachings of the holy Quran and also mentioned how he holds dearly the values bequeathed to him by his father. He said he did not engage in sexual intercourse with PW 1 in an unfinished house on the date alleged by PW 1 and there are always workers at my site in Kono.
Mr Mansaray said that he knew the father of the victim Vandi Sannoh and he went to visit me on the 16th July, 2020 at the unfinished building just after the 7 pm prayer and the purpose of the visit was to complainant his co-accused person Marion Kamal Arouni that she took cloth from his daughter the victim.
At that time, the accused said the father was not angry with him as he told the father that he is going to assist him with school fees for her daughter.
The politician said he never told the father that he will marry his daughter. He said the police in Kono did not invite him on the grounds of committing an offence.
He said on the 18th July, 2020 he woke up and saw on the social media that he has allegedly sexually penetrated a child and he called the Local Unit Commander (LUC) in Tankoro if he was wanted by the police. He testified that the LUC told him not to worry but added that if the need arises.
At that material time, the police had received a complainant but the LUC responded that his team is investigating the allegations, and after concluding the preliminary investigation he will be called upon to hear his own side of the story.
He said the police invited him on the 18th July, 2020. He noted that armed police and military officers surrounded his premise at Majay Town in Freetown and he came out and queried them but they ignored him.
Mr Mansaray said, he later called his lawyers and informed them about what has transpired and they told me to stay calm until the next day.
He continued that the Inspector General of Police called him on the 20th July, 2020 in the afternoon to officially tell him to report at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Freetown, where he duly reported on the 21st July, 2020.
He said he spent the night at his office at Padember road in Freetown to be at the CID the next day.
Under cross examination, Prosecuting Counsel Umu Sumaray, asked the first accused person if his statement was obtained from him on two occasions. First accused person said yes. State prosecution asked if his legal team was represented. He said yes.
The prosecution asked if he signed at the end of the statement. He said yes.
State prosecution asked that if he wants the court to believe that before singing the 71 pages document it was read to him. He said yes. State prosecution asked what do you mean by I knew the victim fairly. He said he knew the victim about a month.
E.S Abdulia represented the first accused person. The matter has been adjourned to the 15th June, 2021.