By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
Justices Momoh Jah Stevens, presiding at the Siaka Steven Street High Court, has yesterday sentenced one Joseph Lamin to thirty five year imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually abusing a 12-year-old child.
Lamin was before the court on one count of sexual penetration contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act No 12 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by Section 4 of the Sexual Offense (Amendment) Act of 2019 Act No. 8 of 2019.
The convict on 28th of July, 2020, in Freetown, engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a child below the age of eighteen.
While ruling on the matter, Justice Stevens said the accused person had pleaded not guilty to the offence as charged, adding that the prosecution had applied that the convict be tried by judge alone.
He added that the court granted the said application and that the prosecution led four witnesses against the accused person, including the parents of the victim.
Justice Stevens stated that there was a clear case of corroboration that the allegation made against the convict was true.
He said after the prosecution closed its case, the convict was asked as to how he might want to testify, and that he chose to rely on his statement he made to the police.
Justice Stevens said the victim in her testimony in court said the convict attacked her when she went to drop the items he asked her to buy.
She said the convict held her mouth and penetrated her.
“I submit that the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The accused is therefore guilty of sexual penetration. He is therefore sentence to thirty five years imprisonment,” he ruled.
