By Yusufu S. Bangura
An 18-year-old victim on Tuesday, September 26th narrated in court how an iron rod was allegedly inserted into her vagina by Lansana Kallie, the accused who was charged with conspiracy and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Testifying before Justice Adrian Fisher at the Siaka Steven Street High Court, the victim recognised the accused in respect of the matter and recalled on the 16th November, 2021.
She said on the date in question, she was in Pujehun District when she decided to visit her father in Bonthe District for holiday.
She testified that her father advised her not to return to Pujehun again so that she could attend school in Bonthe.
The victim explained that while attending school, she told her father to change the school because of the distance, which he agreed.
She said her father later asked her to go to her aunt who stays at Donboko village, Bonthe District.
She said while she was with her aunt, she didn’t attend school on a particular day because she hadn’t any shoe to wear, adding that her aunt later informed her father about the issue.
The victim said after her father received that information, he instructed the aunt not to allow her sleep in the house and that her aunt sent her out of the house as instructed.
She continued that her father also warned that no one in the village should shelter her that night.
She said while returning to her father’s place, she met the accused (Lansana) and four other men at Yawbeko Junction.
She said one of the men took her into the bush for a while and later took her to an unknown building in the township.
She narrated that she was blindfolded and placed inside a room where she overheard different voices inside the building.
She narrated that another person was also in the room crying for help, adding that she tried to check out to know who was in the room, but couldn’t see anyone.
She said after a while a girl who had been abducted came close to her.
She further explained that very early in the morning, the accused including the four men took her and the girl back to the bush and that upon their arrival, they opened her eyes and she saw all of them.
She said while they were in the bush, she overheard the men discussing about what they should do with them, whether they remove their body part or their blood, but one of the men said they only need their blood.
“In my presence, the men later took the young girl from the back of a palm tree and brought her in front of us. One of the men who was in charge of the operation held an iron rod and inserted it into the mouth of the 8-year-old girl and drained her blood and transferred her blood into a water bottle .The accused later told them to take her remains to the river,” she explained.
She explained that she was taken to the room again that night by the same men and that early the next morning; she was taken at the back of the house where they removed her dress.
She the leader of the team advised the others not to remove her parts, but to remove her blood like the other girl.
“Suddenly, the accused together with two other men held the iron rod used to drain the blood of the 8-year-old girl and inserted it into my virgina and I went unconscious, but later woke up in the hospital,” she said.
She went on to say when she woke up, she was unable to speak, but whilst she was in the hospital, she saw one of the men who did the said act to her.
She told the court that she informed her parents and the man was later arrested, albeit he is now late.
She said after the incident, she always experiences chronic stomach pain and has not been able to see her menstrual period normally.
After her testimony, she was cross-examined by lawyer Randy S. Bangura from the Legal Aid Board on behalf of the accused person.
The matter was adjourned to Friday 6th October 2023.
The accused person was before the court on two counts of conspiracy and causing grievous bodily harm with intent contrary to Section 18 of the offense Against the persons Act 1861.
State counsel, Solomon Kekura alleged that the accused on diverse days between 1st November 2021 and 16 November 2021 at Nyandehum high way in the Yawbeko Chiefdom, Bonthe district, conspired with persons unknown to murder Magaya Conteh.
It was further alleged that on the same date and place, the accused caused grievous bodily harm to Fatmata Jebbeh Bangalie with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.
