Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Steven of the Sexual Offense Court No. 7, located on Siaka Stevens Street, has reminded Musa Turay, a former school teacher, of the charges against him.
Turay faces two charges: sexual penetration of a child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012 (amended by the 2019 Sexual Offense Amendment Act) and sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust under Section 21-(1) of the same act.
According to the indictm
ent, the alleged offenses took place between February 1 and March 14, 2024, in Freetown. The prosecution claims that during this period, Turay engaged in sexual penetration with a child. It was further alleged that Turay, as a teacher in a position of trust, committed the offense against the victim. Upon hearing the charges, Turay pleaded not guilty.
During the proceedings, State Prosecutor Musa Pious Sesay Jr. Esq. questioned a witness about Turay’s teaching role at the school. The witness confirmed that Turay was an active teacher there until December 2023 and affirmed that he taught JSS 1 and 2, with the alleged victim being one of his students.
The prosecution suggested that Turay had communicated with the victim outside school hours; however, the witness denied any private conversations beyond the classroom.
When confronted with a specific telephone number, 078486465, the witness acknowledged it belonged to Turay. The prosecutor then indicated that the Cyber Unit had a report linking Turay to calls made to the victim, prompting him to request a brief adjournment to verify if the report had been tendered as evidence.
Defense counsel C. Campbell represented the accused. However, Justice Steven denied bail, ordering that Turay be remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The case has been adjourned to March 5, 2025.