“We won the case with unanimous guilty verdict from all of the jurors,” SGBV Acting Prosecutor Cllr. Deddeh Wilson
Monrovia-The Jury bench of criminal Court E has brought down a unanimous guilty verdict in a statutory rape case involving a forty four year old man, Foday Kanneh, who raped a thirteen year old girl in Bomi County.
The judge for Criminal Court ‘E’, Judge Cianeh Clinton-Johnson is expected to hand down her final judgment in the rape case anytime soon.
The statutory rape involving Foday Kanneh and the thirteen year old girl is being prosecuted by the Sexual Gender Based Violence Crime Unit (SGBVCU) of the Ministry of Justice.
In a brief interview, Acting Prosecutor of the SGBVCU Cllr. Deddeh Jomah Wilson said the alleged rape occurred in Bomi but the case was transferred to Criminal Court E in Monrovia.
“The County Attorney asked for transferred of the case to criminal court E, because this court was established for rape cases were trials are held in camera,” Cllr. Wilson said.
According to her, facilities at the court make it easier for survivors and witnesses to testify without being stigmatized.
“...rape is an issue that puts stigma on survivors, so when they are in camera it shields their identity,” Cllr. Wilson added.
Narrating the 13yrs old girl’s ordeal, the Acting Rape Prosecutor said, the crime took place December 2 at the home of the defendant around lunch hour.
“It took place on December 2, 2014 around lunch hour. This girl mother cooked and sent it to the defendant’s wife who was not there and when she went at his house the defendant told her to go in his room and she said no, I’m going to put the food on the porch, trying to get out he held her by the hand and took her in his children room…,” Cllr. Wilson explained.
Explaining the courtroom drama, Cllr. Wilson said during the proceedings the case was centered around alibi, adding that the defense lawyer argued that their client was not present during the commission of the crime.
“The defendant’s lawyers based their argument on alibi. According to them, at the time of the commission of the crime the defendant could not have been on the scene.”
Cllr. Wilson, “…that was the issue they raised, but we were able to defeat that purpose, the law says that you should prove the physical impossibility of the defendant to have been on the crime scene the time the crime was committed.”
She said they won the case with unanimous guilty verdict from all of the jurors and are now awaiting final judgment from the Judge.