By Musa Paul Feika
Magistrate Abdul Sheriff of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.3, has remanded one forty-seven (47) year-old Bockarie Pratt for allegedly penetrating his step-daughter at Imatt Hill Station in Freetown.
The victim in her testimony told the court that she recognized the accused as her step-father and could recall on diverse dates between 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2019.
She told the court that the accused had penetrated her at the age of fourteen years while they were living at Imatt, Hill Station in Freetown.
The victim could not end her testimony and she was therefore stood down to make way for Detective Police Constable, Philipa Mansaray attached to the Family Support Unit (FSU) at Central Police Station.
She started her testimony by telling the court that she recognized the accused and could recall the day in question.
On that fateful day, according to the witness, she was on duty at the station when a matter of sexual penetration of a child was allocated to her by the Senior Crime Officer, Detective Inspector Lebbie for further investigations.
She continued that she issued a Police medical request form to the victim for examination and treatment at the Rainbow Centre at Cottage Hospital in Freetown.
The witness concluded that on the 15th May 2019, herself and Detective Inspector Lebbie obtained a voluntary cautioned statement from the accused and charged him to court with the offence of sexual penetration of a child, contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012
The accused was not legally represented and he was therefore remanded.
The matter was adjourned to 15th August 2019.