Prior to the committal of the accused to stand trial in the High Court of justice, the presiding Magistrate disclosed that he had considered the evidence adduced by the court very serious and sufficient, and that he was of the legal opinion that the accused had a case to answer and should therefore stand trial in the high Court of justice.
The accused was alleged to have penetrated the sexual organs of a twelve years old girl (name withheld) at Grafton, new site along the Freetown- waterloo highway, in the outskirt of Freetown, on 10 January 2017.
Detective Police Constable, Lamin Amara Kpoi who was led in evidence by Inspector I.S Mansaray testified that he was attached to the Family Support Unit at Hastings Police Station, and also recognized the victim and the accused.
He recalled Wednesday 12 January 2017, and that on aforementioned date, he was on duty at Family Support Unit at the Hasting Police Station, when the victim accompanied by her aunt Hassanatu Sesay arrived at the station and reported a case of sexual penetration against the accused.
According the witness, the victim was then issued with a police medical request form for treatment and medical examination at Rainbow Centre within , the Princess Christian Maternal Hospital, at Fourhbay road in the east end of Freetown.
The witness further informed the court that on 12 January 2017, Detective Police Constable 15131 Sogbeh Tenemah, including him, obtained voluntary cautioned statement from the accused by questioning and cautioning him in Krio language,
He also narrated that the accused, Joseph Kamara made statements to them in Krio, which was recorded in English language, and at the conclusion of the interview statement, he said they read it coherently to the accused and explained to him in Krio.
DPC Lamin Kpoi confirmed that the accused person accepted his recorded statement to be true and approved by appending his signature with his right hand thump print, stating that the accused person’s statement was produced and tendered in evidence as part of the court records.
The witness went on to state that on Tuesday 7 February 2017, he charged the accused person with of sexual penetration of a girl under the age eighteen , contrary to the sexual offences act of 2012, of the laws of the country.
It was alleged that the accused refused to sign his charged statement, but that it was later produced and tendered in evidence by the police prosecutor, Inspector I.S Mansaray.
