Justice Momoh Jah Stevens on Friday, 6th May, 2022, remanded a 17-year-old juvenile for the offence of sexual penetration of a child below the age of 18 to wit 13 years.

Concord Times reports that the 17-year-old juvenile was alleged to have sexually penetrated and impregnated a 13- year- old pupil.

The accused was standing trial in the High Court presided by Justice Momoh Jah Stevens on two counts charge of sexual penetration of a child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012,as repealed and replaced by Section 4 of the Sexual Offence (Amendment) Act 2019 Act No. of 2019.

The state prosecutor had alleged that the accused, on 1st June to 30th June, 2021, in Freetown, Western Area District, sexually penetrated the victim who was below the age of 18th years, to wit 13 years.

When the charges were put to the accused by the court’s registrar, he pleaded not guilty as charged.

Justice Stevens advised the accused that the allegation against him was very serious and that if found guilty he will be liable to a maximum sentence of fifteen years, and if found not guilty he will be acquitted and discharged accordingly.

He added that the accused is a pupil with a greater future and that he should plead guilty if he knows that he was guilty of the offence because there is already a child.