By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
Justice Emmanuela Harding, Presiding over case of the Sexual Offenses Model Court in Freetown on Wednesday 16th November 2022, sentenced twenty-year-old student, Ibrahim Hassan Gobeh, to life imprisonment for sexually penetrating a three-year-old boy through his anus.
The convict was arraigned before the court on one count indictment of sexual penetration contrary to Section 19 of Sexual Offenses Act No. 2012.
According to the particulars of offences, the convict Ibrahim Hassan Gobeh on 30th May 2022 in Freetown engaged in an act of sexual penetration with the victim.
In her judgment, Justice Emmanuela Harding told the court that she took notice that the victim is a-three- year-old child and also a male child.
She said that the medical report showed that the child was sexually penetrated. The judge stated that she will not hesitate to sentence the convict to life imprisonment because the victim is a child age 3-year-old.
“I submit that the prosecution has proven it case beyond all reasonable doubt against the accused person. I therefore hold the accused person guilty as charged and sentenced him to Life imprisonment.I want to send a signal to others who are in the habit of sexually penetrating children,” she said
In his plea mitigation, defense lawyer K. Kanu begged the judge to temper justice with mercy because his client was a first time offender and has been remorseful about his action.
He added that the convict is also a student and he will be a role model in a society in the feature.
