By Saio Marrah
Former Chairman and Leader of Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray has been handed a 32-year sentence after he was found guilty of sexually penetrating a 15-year-old Junior Secondary School (JSS) pupil on different occasions in Kono and Freetown.
The judgment by High Court Judge Samuel Omodele Taylor in Freetown on Friday 17th February 2023 also saw co-accused Marion Arouni sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after being found guilty on two counts.
The eight count charges for the two convicted persons ranged from conspiracy, aiding and abetting to meeting a child for sexual purposes and sexual penetration. Arouni was said to be a close female relative of the victim.
Mansaray was reportedly brought to court in an ambulance under heavy security and taken into the courtroom in a stretcher on the day of sentencing.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Taylor said: “I have come to a conclusion that the prosecution had been able to prove their case beyond all reasonable doubt and I therefore found both accused Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray and Marion Arouni guilty of all charges against them.”
Justice Taylor asserted that the prosecution brought in 11 witnesses to court, the first prosecution was the victim, and that the prosecution brought in evidence including the birth certificate of the victim.
He also noted that the prosecution witness 11 testified in court to ascertain the validity of the said document and that the court took into account of the under-five card tendered.
The appeal court judge noted that whether the child was a virgin does not matter, and that the girl was able to testify of her meeting with Mansaray in four different places that include Diamond Lodge hotel in Kono, an unfinished house and twice at Mansaray’s place.
On the 17th of July 2020, the Police received a complaint against Mansaray of alleged sexual penetration of the minor, which led to his arrest by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). On the 21st of July the same year, he was charged to court alongside Arouni who the girl’s guardian was.
They were finally granted bail on the 7th of September 2021 after several applications by lead defence lawyer, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai.
They were also asked to surrender their travelling documents including passport to the authorities. Arouni met all the bail conditions, but Mansaray could not produce his passport.
However, a human right group, Campaign for Human Right and Development International (CHRDI) during their visit to the Male Correctional Centre observed that Mansaray was having serious medical challenges, which needed immediate attention.
Copyright © 2023 Politico Online (21/02/23)
