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Friday, September 20, 2024

Kamarainba’s Trial… Victim Testifies

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By Janet A Sesay

Victim of an alleged sexual penetration has told a Sexual Offences Court (SOC) in Freetown court that she was penetrated five times by the first accused, Mohamed at a Diamond Hotel Lodge and an unfinished Building in the eastern town of Kono.

The accused, Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray is the founder and leader of one of Sierra Leone’s opposition parties, Alliance Democratic Party (ADP).

The ADP leader currently battles with an eight-count indictment of sexual penetration at the SOC alongside his co-accused, Marion Arouni, first and second accused persons respectively presided over by Justice Samuel Taylor.

Victim also told the court that she was penetrated from her back and, on one occasion, in her anus in one of her sexual encounters with the first accused.

Counsels Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai and Team represent the accused persons, and Umu Sumaray prosecutes for the state.

The terrible testimony at the SOC caused state counsel to shed tears.

Victim who claimed to be 15 was led in evidence by state counsel.

In her testimony during last Friday’s proceedings, victim recognised the first and second accused persons.

She told the court that the second accused is her aunt and she used to stay with her on John Kellier Street in Kono to help her with household chores.

Victim further testified that she came to know the first accused, Kamarainba Mansaray during one of his visits to her aunt’s place in January this year.

“My aunt introduced me to Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray during one of his visits,” she testified.

Victim also recalled 14th February, this year as the day first accused came to her aunt and uncle and requested them to be allowed to go on a date.

She said both accepted, and the first accused bought her new clothes, and she made her hair in readiness to go out with him.

The first accused, Victim further explained, came back to the house with a green vehicle and took her to Diamond Lodge Hotel which, she said, was her first time to visit there.

On their arrival at the hotel, she testified, they were waiting in the vehicle when a lady she could not identify brought the keys and they went into one of the hotel.

“I was sitting in the parlour when Kamarainba Mansaray called me to into one of the hotel rooms,” victim narrated.

Victim said she refused to go into the room as requested, but the accused who had only ‘boxer’ pants on dragged her into the room.

“The accused removed my clothes and pants and then lay on top of me, inserted her penis into my vagina, had sexual intercourse with me, and I felt pain,” she told the court.

Victim also told the court that she went into the bathroom to take care of herself after the sexual intercourse.

She further testified that she saw blood on the bed sheet when the first accused too went to the bathroom.

Not too long, victim testified, she and the first accused left the hotel for her residence.

She also explained that she did not inform the second what transpired between her and the first accused.

She said the first accused called later to check on her.

It was after the phone call, victim testified, the second accused told her to dress up as the first accused would take her out again.

“Not too long, Kamarainba Mansaray came to the house and took me to the same Diamond Hotel,” she told the court.

Victim said the accused did the same thing again by removing her pants and inserted his penis into her vagina.

Upon completion of the sexual intercourse, victim said, she saw white substance on her vagina and later they went back home.

At one time, victim said, the accused took her to an unfinished house in Kono which she said she was constructing.

In March this year, victim said, the accused invited her to that unfinished building and requested to have sex with her and she did.

“During the sexual intercourse, Kamarainba Mansaray bent me down and inserted his penis into my anus,” she said.

Victim also testified that this year, she was in school when the second accused went there and informed her about the death of her grandfather.

Upon such information, she told the court, she returned home with the second accused.

Victim further testified that the first accused came to the house and gave them fare to attend the funeral in Freetown after he had been informed about her grandfather’s death by the second accused.

She further told the court that they spent two weeks in Freetown before they returned to Kono.

On our return, Victim said the first accused visited them and gave her Le 80,000 (80,000) to upkeep herself.

The following day, she further testified that she and the second accused left Kono for Freetown, and they put up with her mother’s house on their arrival.

Victim also told the court that the second accused instructed her to call the first accused to inform him that they were in Freetown, and she did.

Victim explained that the first accused came to the house with a vehicle, picked them up, and took them to Murray Town, west of Freetown where they stayed till dusk.

Later, victim said, they returned to the house, and second accused alighted from the vehicle with her children while she was asked by the first accused to stay.

“I spent the night with the first accused at his house, and I had sex twice with him,” she told the court.

Victim further disclosed that the first accused bought her a Nokia mobile phone on the same day so that they could communicate.

Later, victim said, the first accused dropped her at Youyi Building where she waited for the second accused who came and took her to Ogoo Lane.

On their way home, victim testified that she showed the mobile phone to the second accused and she condemned it.

After spending some days in Freetown, she said, they returned to Kono adding that the second accused had been using the phone until it got damage.

She said the phone was taken to a mobile phone mechanic by the second accused’s husband for repairs and said she had not seen it since that time.

She assured the court that she could recognise and identify the damaged phone it if seen.

The prosecutor, at this stage, asked for a brief stand-down for victim to identify the phone.

At one time, victim told the court, the second accused asked her out of the house, and her mother came for her.

One day, victim said, she was playing with her dad when he noticed that there was something inserted on her left arm.

“It is a captain band used to prevent girls from pregnancy,” she said.

Victim further told the court that it was the second accused who instructed her to go to a nurse called Mary so that she could insert it on her left hand which she did.

After the discovery, she went on, the matter was reported at Tankoro Police Station where victim said she was issued a police medical report for examination and treatment at the Rainbow Centre, a medical centre specilised in the care of sexually abused victims.

The victim identified the said medical report which was labelled as exhibit-Y, and formed part of the court records.

Victim further testified that she was examined by the police doctor and later returned with the endorsed medical form to Tankoro Police Station, and made statements.

Adducing more evidence at the end of victim’s testimony, the prosecutor asked victim why she frequently went out with the first accused and had sex without objecting or informing the second accused.

Victim replied that it was the second accused who would ask her to go out with the first accused since she knew what was happening.

Lead defence declined to cross-examine victim and applied for an adjournment.

“I don’t want to rush into cross examination as I want to consult with my client and colleague lawyers,” he applied.

Justice Taylor granted the application, and accused persons remanded.

The matter comes up on 31st August.

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