Sierra Leone News: Sexual Penetration: Eleven-year-old Victim Testifies in Court

By Isabella Cassell

An eleven-year-old victim has narrated how she was sexually penetrated by a 32-year-old man.

She told the Freetown Magistrate Court No 3, presided by Magistrate Abdul Sheriff on Tuesday August 27, 2019, that on the day of the last incident, her mother sent her to fetch water at a stream, and on her way she met the accused Alusine Sesay a.k.a Aluspa who enquired from her whether her mother gave her money to fetch the water, but she answered in the negative.

The victim said that on that note the accused told her to meet him at his resident to collect the sum of Le 1,000 to fetch water.

She said she went and stood at the door of the house of the accused, but the accused lured her to his bedroom. The victim said when they went into the bedroom, the accused sexually penetrated her which made her felt very bad.

When asked by the prosecutor Inspector G.V.S Macauley whether it was the first time the accused has done such to her, the victim said the accused has done it several times to her during the dry season at his house which is close to the stream.

She added that the accused had also had anal intercourse with her which left her in severe pain and injury.

The victim said her mother had to found out later about the incident because she was walking abnormally, and she took her to hospital.

She said after medical examination, they found out that her anus was badly opened and they had to issue her medications.

She said they later reported the matter to the police. She said the police issued a medical report form to visit the Rainbo Center for treatment and examination.

During the cross-examination by the accused, the victim said she was afraid to tell her parents about the previous penetrations.

The accused Alusine Sesay was arraigned on a count charge of sexual penetration of a child.

It was alleged that the accused on June 26, 2019, in Freetown sexually penetrated an 11-year-old girl.

The accused was remanded, while the matter was adjourned to Tuesday September 3, 2019.

The matter was prosecuted by Inspector G.V.S Macauley.