By Aminata Phidelia Allie
A 20-year-old man (name withheld as part of Politico’s editorial policies), who allegedly raped a four-year old girl at Wellington has been remanded at the Pademba Road prisons by Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No.2 in Freetown.
The accused, who apparently lives in the same house as the victim, is being preliminarily investigated on a one-count charge of sexual penetration.
Testifying as first prosecution witness (PW1), a sister of the victim explained that she and the kid were sleeping in the afternoon when the victim went out to urinate.
“She didn’t come back in but I wasn’t bothered because I was not alone at home,” she explained.
“When I woke up, my sister was in the parlour eating. When she got up I noticed blood on her dress,” PW1 said, and added that when she questioned her, the victim said she had been taken to the bathroom, undressed and tampered with by the accused.
“She told me that he asked her not to tell anyone what had happened. He only laughed the matter off when we confronted him,” the witness told the court.
In a related matter, a 13-year-old victim of rape also testified against an alleged perpetrator.
She explained that as a class six pupil, she went to study at a friend’s place when the accused gave her Le 5,000 to buy him a stick of candle.
She said when she took the candle to the accused person’s house, he asked her to take it into his room.
“He then closed the door after me and ordered me to take off my clothes,” she testified.
She further told the court that the accused threatened to kill her if she didn’t comply with him, adding that he also took off his trousers and underwear.
The victim said the accused forced her into his bed and had sex with her after which he threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
The next morning, she said, she started feeling pains and her menses came for the first time. Though she didn’t tell anyone, she told the court that her father noticed that she was bleeding and took her to a nurse.
“It was then that I explained everything to him and he reported the matter to the police”. Both matters have been adjourned to Saturday July 27.
