By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
Justice Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens has sentenced 19-year-old Abu Bakarr Bundu to 15 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of sexually penetrating a 12-year-old pupil.
Bundu was before the court on a two counts indictment of sexual penetration contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 12 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by Section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No. 8 of 2019.
State Prosecutor, Paius Sesay had alleged that the accused on the 29th January, 2022 in Freetown,sexually penetrated a child.
The state earlier made an application upon the accused arraignment for the accused to be tried by a judge alone instead of a judge and a jury.
Justice Momoh Jah Stevens granted the said application.
The convict denied the allegation upon his arraignment and the state prosecutor led in evidence and a number of witnesses including the victim in support of their case.
In his judgment, Justice Momoh Jah Stevens said the accused tried to make an allegation against the detective police when he read his confessional statement in court that, the officer forced him to confess to the crime.
Justice Momoh Jah Stevens cautioned the accused on his choice of words that he was not forced to do anything, rather he made a confessional statement to the offence.
Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens sentenced the accused person to 15 years imprisonment.
