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There is going to be an immense pressure on the Judiciary of Sierra Leone to offer justice to an 8-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and killed by her class teacher last month in Freetown.
A day after the child was laid to rest, over 1,000 protesters took to the streets demanding justice for the child. The protesters rallied in front of the main Law Court Building on Siaka Stevens Street chanting slogans for justice and for the government to administer punishment to the suspect, who has been identified as John Kamara.
The alleged victim, 8-year-old Khadija, is said to have been raped twice by her teacher, Kamara at their school toilet and later forced to drink some pills said to contain poisonous substance. The girl later died two days later at the Government Hospital on Kingharmann Road in Freetown.
The Sierra Leone Judiciary already has a well-refined structure to deal with rape cases especially this in which minors are the victims.
The Sexual Model Court Division of the High Court was specially set up to try cases related to sexual penetration and rape in line with the repealed Sexual Offences Act. The Act has laws that apportion stiff punishment for convicts and also enable speedy trials with the eradication of jury trials and making use of judge-alone trials.
Although rape cases have reduced since the law was repealed in 2021, experts believe that the country still has a long way to go especially in the protection of children at home and schools.
