High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Andrew S. C. Johnson has sentenced thirty nine year-old Ibrahim Tarawalie to twenty five (25) years imprisonment after his conviction of the offence of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm perpetuated against a one year old baby.
The said act is contrary to section 18 of the Offenses against the Person Act, 1861.
The prosecution alleged that the convict, on the 31st July, 2024 at Freetown unlawfully and maliciously wounded one (1) year old child, Abu Bakarr Dolleh with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
Upon his arraignment, the accused pleaded not guilty. To prove their case against the Defendant, the State represented by I. A Kamara led three witnesses including a police officer.
In his testimony, the investigating officer told the court that a one year old child was brought to his duty station with several severe burns on both hands, with the allegation that the convict placed his hands against red-hit charcoal as punishment for allegedly stealing soup.
The medical report revealed that the child suffered from severe burns, permanent scarring and disfigurement. An eye-witness testified that the convict had earlier on threatened to burn the hands of the victim and on that faithful day, he held the hands of the child and firmly pressed them on the red/hit charcoal for several seconds while the child was screaming in pain.
After the incident, a school teacher who had not seen the child for sometime visited and advised the siblings to report the matter to the police which they did.
At the end of the prosecution’s case, defence Lawyer O. V. Gerber informed the Court that the convict relied on his earlier denial statement to the police.
Delivering his judgement, Hon. Justice Johnson said the prosecution had proved that the convict’s act was deliberate, premeditated, cruel and sadistic. He maintained that the victim had suffered permanent disfigurement.
He added that the convict breached trust entrusted on him by the Ministry of Social Welfare for which he was convicted and sentenced to twenty five (25) years imprisonment.
