By Musa Paul Feika
Justice Simeon Alie, one of the judges of the High Court of Sierra Leone, yesterday sentenced one Alusine Sesay to sixteen years imprisonment for the offence of incest, which is contrary to Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 and procuring drugs for abortion, which is also contrary to Section 59 of the Offences against the Persons Act of 1861.
Justice Alie, before he sentenced the accused, stated that the accused told the court that he was tempted by Satan to commit such an offence by not even having sympathy on his own daughter until he impregnated her.
According to Judge Alie, it was a clear indication that the accused had no sympathy for the victim. He furthered that the victim would not be confortable for the rest of her life because the story would continue spreading for a long time.
He said he could not have pity for such a man because he may even do same to others’ children at home.
Justice Simeon Alie sentenced the accused, Alusine Sesay, to sixteen (16) years imprisonment on both counts, adding that the jail term should be run consecutively.
Defence lawyer, S. Bobanie Brown, representing the accused, pleaded with the court regarding the sentence. According to her, the accused did not waste the precious time of the Honourable Court, and that he had pleaded guilty on both counts, on which he was standing trial. The accused is a first term offender.
Lawyer Brown stated that the accused has four children at home, including the victim, to cater for.
She added that the accused, Alusine Sesay, had learned his lesson at the Male Correctional Centre for the past three years. She therefore pleaded with the court to grant the accused four years imprisonment.
In response, the State Prosecutor, Yusuf Ishmael Sesay, representing the state, in submission, told the court that the victim was the biological daughter of the accused, and according to him, initially the victim was not staying with the accused but her mother.
He furthered that, after the death of the victim`s mother, the victim was staying with her father and at the same time sleeping on the same bed, adding that during the process, the victim became pregnant after she was tested by a community nurse.
Lawyer Sesay continued that the victim later disclosed to the accused that she was impregnated by the accused, Alusine Sesay, who attempted to procure a drug to abort the pregnancy.
Mr. Sesay rounded up his submission stating that the matter was reported to the nearest police station by one Aunt Sento.
The accused was standing trial for two counts charges of incest, which is contrary to Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, and procuring drug for abortion, which is also contrary to Section 59 of the Offences against the Persons Act of 1861.
The details of the court state that Alusine Sesay, on diverse dates between 1st January 2017 and 31st May 2018 in Waterloo in the Western Rural District of the Republic of Sierra Leone, did sexually penetrate fifteen years (15) old child whom he knew to be his daughter and at same time and address procured a noxious drug to cause abortion.