By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
Justice Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens has sentenced 32-year-old, Charles Bao to 30 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of sexually penetrating a 13-year-old pupil.
Bao was before the court on a two counts indictment of Sexual Penetration contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 12 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by Section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No. 8 of 2019.
State Prosecutor Musa Pious Sesay alleged that the accused on the 12th of June, 2021 at Freetown, in the Western Area of the country engaged in an act of Sexual Penetration with a child.
The convict denied the allegation upon his arraignment and the State Prosecutor Musa Pious Sesay led in evidence several witnesses including the victim in support of his case.
In her evidence, the school going girl admitted knowing the accused as her neighbor and recalled that on dates between the 12th June 2021, she said the accused entered her room, removed her cloth and sexually penetrated her private part, but she refuse to tell anyone about what happened between and them
“The victim told the court that he fought hard with the accused the second time he try to sexually penetrated her but she struggle between him and the accused and his sister woke up.”
Justice Stevens said the accused made a denial statement in her defence but there is an eyewitness who saw the accused lying on top of the victim struggling with her.
Justice Stevens said the second prosecution witness upon information received made calls and the police arrested the accused at the house where they were resident.
He said at the close of the Prosecution’s case, the accused relied on his statement to the police.
“I hold that the accused is guilty on both counts as was laid down by lord Sankey in Wilmington vs director of public prosecutions”
In his allocutus, the convict pleaded for mercy and was sentenced to fifteen years on counts one and fifteen years on count two, and the sentence should run consecutively.
