The State claimed that the alleged sex offender penetrated the sex organ of a child (name withheld) under the age of eighteen years old. He allegedly committed the offence on 27 October 2017 at Peacock Farm, Wellington in the Freetown Judicial District in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Led in evidence by State Counsel E.T. Jalloh, the first prosecution witness, Detective Police Constable 15139 Sahr Momoh Songah testified that he is attached to the Family Support Unit of the Kissy Police Division and recognized the accused person, Terry Jawara and the victim and her mother.
He recalled the incident of 27 October 2017, saying that on the day in question, he was on duty at the Family Support Unit of the Kissy Police Division, when an alleged case of sexual penetration was reported against the accused person by the victim’s mother.
According to him, the matter was then assigned to him for further investigation, after which he obtained a statement from the victim and her mother and then issued a police medical request form to the victim for examination and treatment at the Rukupa Government Hospital and also at the Rainbo Centre.
Detective Police Constable 15139 Sahr Momoh Songah further testified that the victim later returned with the endorsed police medical request form, which was produced in court for identification.
He went on to say that on 29 October 2017, he obtained a voluntary caution statement from the accused person Terry Jawara by observing the judge’s rule, which was also produced in court for identification.
The witness continued to say that on 3rd November 2017, Inspector Hawa Mansaray, Detective Police Constable 10282 Turay S.K. and himself visited the scene of crime at the George Washington Primary School, where snapshots were taken and later developed into pictures.
He also stated that on 22nd November 2017, he charged the accused person with the offences of Conspiracy and Sexual Penetration of a Child under the age of eighteen years old by also observing the judge’s rule.
Prior to the court proceeding, the State Counsel E. T. Jalloh applied to the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Monfred Sesay for the accused person Terry Jawara to be tried by judge alone instead of a judge and jury and the order was granted by the court.
Hon. Justice Monfred Sesay however, assured the court that he would give orders for the victim’s pant and skirt to be brought to the court on the next adjourned date as requested for by the accused person, Terry Jawara. The matter comes up again on Tuesday 19 February this year.
