A dramatic scene unfolded last Tuesday at the Sexual Model Offenses Court in the Sierra Leone capital, when an opposition politician, and former 2018 presidential candidate urinates inside the courtroom where he was on trial for several child sex crimes.

Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray had a bucket-like container with him inside the courtroom at the time – and it was the one he used to urinate in.
This was first time TV-News24 had observed him with it.

On several occasions, during court proceedings, when he needs to urinate, he’ll typically sought the court’s permission – and go outside of the courtroom to ease himself.

But this day was different as he’s reportedly very sick in jail, where he’s been kept for about 14 months now since his arrest in July 2020.

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In fact, just recently, a consortium of human rights advocates, family member(s), expressed concern for his well-being at a press conference.
His defense lawyers have also highlighted same.

When Mansaray entered the courtroom presided by Judge Samuel Omodale Taylor of The Judiciary of Sierra Leone, on Tuesday, Aug. 7, he was flanked on both sides by two prison officers.

In fact, he was supported by the officers who held both his arms, walking him very slowly to the dock, because he couldn’t move at a normal pace.
A dock is where defendants are held while in the courtroom, in the course of a trial.

The dock at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Sierra Leone’s main law courthouse, is located at the rear of the courtroom and it’s opaque – up to the head area when inside. That’s to say you can’t see through it…

So, if someone is in there, you can’t see from their feet to the upper body area except their head – if they’re standing up.

But if a defendant is short and sitting down on the bench provided in there, you won’t be able to see them from the public gallery…unless if the person is tall like Mansaray.

In fact, though Mansaray is tall, he still couldn’t be seen from the public gallery when sitting down – and leaning forward.

A tall defendant though, sitting down, can still be seen by the head area from the public gallery. The judge is the only person able to see inside the dock regardless, because his seat is elevated.

Mansaray shares that dock with female co-defendant, Marion Aruni, who’s short.

When Mansaray entered the courtroom, TV-News24 observed that the bucket with him was black – with a covered opening.
And as the trial progresses, he signaled that he needed to ease himself.

Aruni, the female co-accused, was then removed from the dock, while Mansaray urinates in the black bucket – while on the dock.

Prosecutors say Mansaray, leader of Alliance Democratic Party, charged with sexually penetrating a child last year, allegedly conspired with Aruni, and had sexual intercourse with a secondary schoolgirl – who was 15 years old at the time.

But both defendants have denied the allegations.