High Court judge Cosmotina Clarissa Jarrett presiding at the Sexual Offences Model Court has on Tuesday 11th October 2022 remanded Abubakarr Gbla to the Male Correctional Center at Pademba Road in Freetown for allegedly penetrating three kids under the age of 18.

The accused is before the court on three counts of sexual penetration of a child, country to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of No.12 of 2012 as repealed and replaced with section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act of No.8 of 2019.

It was alleged that the accused on a date unknown between 1st January 2019 and 31 December 2019 in Freetown, engaged in an act of sexual penetration of a child under the ages of 18 to wit 9,13, and 12 years.

After the charges were read to the accused by the Court Register, the accused pleaded not guilty on all counts.

Testifying in court, 13 years old victim said she recognized the accused as her neighbor and recalled the date in question.
The victim said she used to call the accused “Uncle Daddy” and he used to give them money, adding that the accused normally takes her and her colleague to school with his “Keke”, but one day the accused did not take them to school rather, he took them to an ‘Ataya Base’ and bought them food.

She continued that after eating the food, the accused took them to an unfinished building, and upon their arrival, the accused asked them to remove their uniforms and pants but they refused.
She added that the accused forcefully threw her onto the bed and remove her pant and he also undressed himself and inserted his penis into her Virginia and started having intercourse with her.

The witness further explained that after having sex with her, the accused also have sex with her colleagues and after sexual intercourse, the accused asked them not to inform anyone about what transpired between them and that if they do he will kill them.
She said the accused later gave them Nle2 each and loaded them into a tricycle and took them home.

She testified that one day her colleague’s aunt noticed her condition and asked her what had happened to her, adding that she immediately told her that it was the accused who had sexual intercourse with her and her colleagues.

She later said the aunt of her colleague later told her mother about the alleged incident and that she also explained the same story to her mother.

She further narrated that after the information, her mother took her to the Kissy Police Barracks and reported the matter and that she was issued with a police medical form for treatment at the Rainbow Center after the treatment, she later made a statement.

After her testimony, the witness was cross-examined by lawyer Hassan M. Timbo on behalf of the accused person.

The matter which was prosecuted by State Counsel M Edwards was adjoined to Tuesday 18th October 2022 for further hearing.