By Politico staff writer
A man who was found guilty of raping a 70-year-old woman has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Thaimu Kamara (45) will serve time at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre in Freetown.
Kamara a fisherman was facing trial at the Sexual Offences Model Court, with Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens as Presiding Judge.
He was accused of rape contrary to Section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012 as repealed and replaced by the Sexual Offences Amendment Act No. 8 of 2019.
Kamara initially pleaded not guilty and the court granted the application for a trial by a judge alone instead of a judge and jury since such an application was made by the prosecution.
Police Officer Detective Sergeant 11196 Mohamed Musa of the Aberdeen Police Station, in the West end of Freetown, confirmed to the court to have received a report of rape from the victim on the 15th of June 2022.
He said Thaimu, then suspect was arrested and did not deny the allegation. He was said to have made a confessional statement.
In court, the charge sheet was again read and explained, and in which the accused pleaded guilty and begged for mercy.
Justice Stevens said the accused never wasted the court’s time and had changed his plea to guilty during the testimony of the first prosecution witness. “I shall impose the minimum sentence’’, the judge stated.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (10/3/23)
