BY: HAJA HAWA KOROMA
Honorable Justice Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens has sentenced 19 year old student, Ansu Kanneh to 5 years 10 months imprisonment at the Court of Appeal presiding over cases at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Freetown, for sexually penetrating an 11 year old pupil.
The convict was before the court on a one count indictment of Sexual Penetration contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 12 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No. 8 of 2019.
On the 16th December 2021, the State alleged that Kanneh had engaged in an act of Sexual Penetration with a child in Freetown Western Area of the Country. In her statement to the police, the child admitted she knows Kanneh the convict as her cousin whom she said sexually penetrated her on diverse dates in 2021.
The police medical report shows copious yellowish offensive vagina discharge on the victim and a partially healed hymen with no signs of physical injuries.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the offence upon his arraignment. Following his no guilty plea, state prosecutor, Jenneh B. Kamara made an application for trial by judge alone instead of judge and jury which was granted.
The prosecution had provided a number of witnesses as evidence in support of their case before the accused notified the court of his intentions to change his plea.
In his allocuts, the convict pleaded for mercy. Defense Counsel C. Taylor Younge, plea in mitigation with the judge to temper justice with mercy.
Finally, Justice Stevens sentenced Kanneh to 5 years 10 months imprisonment.
Honorable Justice Stevens also sentenced a 19 old student name Joseph Ballah to 5 years imprisonment for the offence of Sexual Penetration against a child.
Ballah was brought before the court on a one count indictment of Sexual Penetration contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 2 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019, act no. 8 of 2019.
He was alleged to have engaged in an act of Sexual Penetration with a child on 24th July 2021, in Freetown western area of the country. The victim stated to the police that the accused was her boyfriend since 2018 and he started engaging her in sexual penetration in 2020.
The accused pleaded guilty to the offence as charged upon his arraignment. In his allocutus, the convict pleaded for mercy as his counsel, C. Taylor Young informed the court that his client had not wasted the courts time. He was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.
