The father of a 3-year-old girl burst into tears as he told the High Court on Monday 15th February 2021 that his daughter bled after she was sexually penetrated.
While he was testifying before Justice Momoh-Jah Stevens at the Sexual Offences Division of the High Court, the father, Mohamed Alie Barrie recalled that on 10th February 2019 he was at home when he heard a child crying at the back of the house.
Recognising the voice as his daughter’s, he went to the back but could not see the child, after which he went back into the house. After a while, he heard the same voice and again went to the backyard, where he saw the accused attempting to calm down the child, who he said was sweating.
When he enquired from the accused what was wrong, the accused told him that he had flogged the child, for which he pleaded with the father, promising not beat her up again.
Barrie furthered that he left the child where the other children were playing and went to pray. About an hour later, he received a call from his wife, who was crying. Observing his child when he got home, he noticed that she was bleeding, and there was blood on her pants.
Barrie further explained that the child told him the accused had had sexual intercourse with her, and had held on to her mouth during the ordeal while she cried.
Barrie said he took the child to a pharmacy, and then Lumley Police Station.
Meanwhile, the accused Abdul Latiff Sesay has denied the allegation.
According to the police, he was 14 at the time of the incident, but has however been assessed as an adult by the High Court.
He was not granted bail. The hearing will continue on Wednesday 17th February 2021.
By edna.browne-dauphine@awokonewspaper.sl