By Janet A. Sesay
John Kargbo, 37, has on Wednesday 19th August 2020 been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment after being found guilty for penetrating his niece, 13. The convict was sentenced by Justice Tonia Barnett of the High Court in Freetown.
Before sentencing the convict, Justice Bernet said the victim told the court that the accused, John Kargbo, raped her at his house when he called her in his room and forcefully opened her leg, stuffed her mouth with clothes and put his penis into her vagina and penetrated her.
She furthered that the prosecution called other witnesses whose evidence also collaborated with that of the victim. The accused pleaded for the judge to temper justice with mercy on him. However Justice Tonia Barnett sentenced john Kargbo to 14 years imprisonment.
It could be recalled that the accused, John Kargbo, was charged with a count of sexual penetration of a child, which is contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act No.12 of 2012.
According to the charge sheet, the accused, John Kargbo, on dates between 1st January and 31st December 2017, at No. 81 Fort Street, Freetown sexually penetrated a child below the age of 18, to wit 13 years.