The High Court in Freetown on Monday 15th February 2021 remanded a 12-year-old boy facing one count charge of sexual penetration of a child.
The allegation against him is that on 8th April 2020 he sexually penetrated a girl who was about 4 years old at the time of the incident.
The offender appeared before Presiding Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens at the Sexual Offences Division of the High Court on Monday to answer to the charge. The prosecution was however constrained to get the victim to testify on the particulars of the offense.
The victim, who was testifying from an enclosed room, told the court that she was now presently 5-years-old. She identified the offender, but only told the court that the offender had physically assaulted her.
The Judge therefore decided that he was going to adjourn the matter.
Although the defence pleaded with the Judge to admit the offender to bail, he refused stating that the new Sexual Offences Amendment Act treats everyone involved in such an offence equally, regardless of age.
The 12-year-old juvenile was remanded, while the matter was adjourned to Wednesday 17th February 2021.
By edna.browne-dauphine@awokonewspaper.sl