19 young persons have been convicted by Hon. Justice Alfred Ghanda following a special criminal session held in the southern town of Moyamba.
The accused persons were found guilty of sexual penetration of a child, sexual touching and rape as well as other offences.
Moses Lamin Kamara is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone. He explained that the criminal session is a “creature” of Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2019. “The section makes provision for the Hon. Chief Justice to hold special criminal sessions in Moyamba, Pujehun, Portloko, Kabala, Mattru Jong, Kailahun and Tonkolili,” Kamara said.
Kamara also told this medium that the convicts had been sentenced accordingly.
Apart from those convicted of sexual offences, Kamara said, others were also found guilty of various crimes including wounding with intent, practising sorcery (Fangay), robbery, office breaking and Larceny adding that they had been sentenced to specific jail terms.
A lady, Haja Kaday Fofanah was convicted of larceny dwelling house and was sentenced for 18 months imprisonment.
Kamara also told Nightwatch that the just- concluded criminal session saw the completion 58 cases. “The criminal session was fully funded by the Judiciary of Sierra Leone,” Kamara said.
The Judiciary PRO further explained that the same sessions were on-ongoing in Portloko and Pujehun and would be replicated in Kabala, Mattru Jong and Kailahun on March,9 this year and later in Tonkolili.
Some of the convicts said they were happy that justice had been delivered not only expeditiously but also fairly. “Today, we are happy that we now have specific time we should spend in prison,” they said.
Since our matters were committed to High Court about a year ago, the convicts said, they had never got the opportunity to appeal before a judge for trial.
Some of the accused persons against whom the prosecution could not make a case were acquitted and discharged by the presiding judge.
They thanked the Hon. Chief Justice, Desmond Babatunde Edwards, head of the Sierra Leone Judiciary for such professionalism and called on him to continue the good work.
19 Convicted for Sexual Penetration
