By Musa Paul Feika
Magistrate Abdul Sheriff of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.3 has remanded Sam King, a teacher at the Rising Academic Junior secondary School Grafton, in Freetown, for allegedly penetrating a fourteen years old girl.
The victim has testified before the court, stating that she recognises the accused as her teacher and could recall the 1st September 2018 and 21st January 2019.
In her testimony, she detailed the court that the accused, in question, has never tampered with her except that she was coerced by the School Performance Manager, Florence Gbakima, to name the accused. She added that she promised to offer her a scholarship.
The school authority took over the matter when it was reported to the school by the victim`s mother. According to her, Ms. Gbakima had an indoor interview with her in her office.
Ms. Gbakima, the School Performance Manager and also PWII, told the court that she recognizes the victim as her pupil at Rising Academic Junior Secondary School in Grafton, Freetown.
The witness furthered that she recognises the accused as her colleague and could recall the date in question.
She continued that, on that day, the victim and her mother came to the school where the mother informed them that she wanted to know who gave cream to her daughter.
“When I asked the victim about the cream, she informed me that she loaned it from the school. This is why I am here to confirm her statement,” the witness told the court.
The witness said after this report they endeavored to get in touch with the accused. Ms. Gbakima said other senior staff helped her, especially Pa Tarawally, to get in touch with the accused.
According to her, the accused denied the allegation, but when they had a private conference with the victim, she confirmed that, though she had a boyfriend called Prince Sidi Mansaray, the accused too had been tampering with her.
“This prompted me to report the matter at the Grafton Police Station,” the witness told the court.
The accused is before the court on one count charge of sexual penetration of a child, contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012.
The police file sheet indicates that, the Mustapha Sam King, on diverse dates between the 1st September and the 21st January 2019, sexually penetrated a child below the age of eighteen years, to wit fourteen years.
Defense counsel, C. Conteh, renewed his application on behalf of his client, citing section 79 (2) of the Criminal Produce Act No. 32 of 1965.
The defense counsel’s application was refused and the accused was remanded in custody. The matter was adjourned to the 22nd May, 2019.