By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Magistrate Komba Kamanda has committed to the high court the trial of a case of sexual penetration against a teacher of the Modern Way Preparatory School who was making a sixth appearance at his court in Freetown.
The prosecution alleged that on Wednesday, 24 April this year, the 23-year old raped an 11-year-old class 6 pupil at a private study camp in Sumaila Town.
In her testimony, the victim, who identified the accused as a teacher at the study camp said she woke up around 3 am to find herself naked with the accused on top of her, also naked. “As I was about to shout he stuffed my mouth with a piece of cloth and raped me”, the girl told the court.
She said that in the morning, the accused threatened to throw her and her friend, who caught him in the act, out of the camp if they told anybody about the incident. She said when they got home later that day, her parents noticed her awkward movement and wanted to know what was wrong with her but she refused to talk.
The witness told the court that her father then interviewed her friend and she “told him everything”.
Magistrate Kamanda ruled that the evidence before him was “overwhelming” against the accused and “I therefore commit you to the High Court for trial on the offence of sexual penetration”.
He also ordered that the accused be remanded in prison until the case came up at the High Court.
