The presiding Magistrate at the Siaka Stevens Street Magistrate Court no. 7, Abdul Sherrif has on Thursday 14 March 2019 granted bail to an alleged rapist. According to the police between 1st and 31st October 2018 in Freetown, the 47 year old man Brima Bangura allegedly raped a 14 year old girl. The matter was reported at the police station by the victim’s mother. The accused was arrested. A police medical request form was issued to the complainant for medical examination at the Rainbo Center in Freetown. According to the police, the endorsed medical request form which was returned to them shows that the victim had a ruptured hymen. Following investigation by the police, the accused was charged to court with one count of Sexual Penetration of a Child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act,  2012. After nine days in custody, the prosecutor Gloria Macauley led her first prosecution witness in evidence. The witness a police investigator tendered the voluntary caution statement and the endorsed medical request form as exhibits in court. The defense counsel Claude Campbell cross-examined the witness. After the cross- examination the counsel applied that his client be put on bail. The prosecutor was not averse to the application. She informed the court that she was finding it difficult to get the witnesses in the matter. The Magistrate put the accused on a Le30 million bail condition and two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned to 19 March 2019.

By Edna Browne-Dauphine

Friday March 15, 2019.