March , 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
A police officer testified before Justice Cosmotina Jarrett at the Sexual Offences Court in Freetown. The witness, Alima Vandi said that she knew the accused person Mohamed Turay on the day of the incident. The Police witness said she was on duty when a case of sexual penetration was assigned to her. She further said she took statements from the accused person and later the victim with her parents went to the scene at REC primary school, Gloucester Village.
She said: “I issued the victim a Police medical request form and it was endorsed by a medical doctor at Rainbow Centre.”
The witness further said that upon their arrival at the crime scene they took pictures with techno phone. She later went with it at a photo studio to be printed. The witness tendered exhibits including exhibit C1- a picture of the school where the alleged incident took place, and exhibit C-3 is the male toilet where the door was half opened.
The witness Alima Vandi said on the 30th April, 2020 she charged the accused person with sexual penetration of a child. DPC 12171 Kelly cautioned and questioned the accused person. She identified the statement and the State Prosecutor, Augustine Sheku asked her if she want this court to see the document, and the witness tendered it for the court to see to form part of the court records.
During cross examination, Defense Lawyer for the accused person Taylor Young challenged the witness as not being a witness in this said matter. She responded in the affirmative.
Also, the Defense Lawyer asked the witness whether there was any other witnessed at the crime scene when the girl was raped. She answered in the affirmative.
The Defense Counsel the said: “I am putting it to you that there is care taker who is in charge of the toilet at REC primary at Gloucester Village”.
The witness said a teacher by the name of Nancy told her that the said rest rooms were damaged by some pupil’s.
It was alleged that the accused person penetrated the victim on the 17th February, 2021. The matter has been adjourned to16th March, 2021.