In a landmark ruling, Morowa Kamara of Sangbangba Village, located in the Kamadu-Yiria Chiefdom of the Falaba District, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for charges of rape and shooting with intent to kill.
The sentence was handed down during a special criminal session of the High Court of Sierra Leone, presided over by Justice Abdulai M. Bangura of the Supreme Court.
Kamara was convicted on multiple charges, including two counts of rape involving his marital wife, who has remained unnamed. These offenses violated Section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012, as amended by Section 2(III) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act of 2019.
The prosecution presented evidence that Kamara coerced his wife into sexual acts under duress, citing threats of violence and the use of a firearm.
Additionally, Kamara was charged with shooting with intent to kill his wife’s sister, Madusu Dumereh, under Section 18 of the Offences Act of 1861. The shooting was linked to an effort to intimidate the victim and prevent her from intervening in the sexual assault of Kamara’s wife.
Kamara also faced charges of possessing a firearm illegally under the Small Arms and Ammunition Act No. 9 of 2012, and for causing actual bodily harm under Section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.
During the trial, the state was represented by Agustin Y. S. Mansaray, state counsel and Acting Customary Law Officer, alongside Inspector Abdulrahman Fofonah, the chief police prosecutor. They presented compelling circumstantial evidence to secure a conviction on the rape charge, including testimonies of threats and violence. The defense, led by lawyers Amadu Tanu Jalloh and Ahmed Sheku Faroh of the Legal Aid Board, succeeded in having one of the rape charges dismissed, though the court upheld the conviction for the first count.
Justice Bangura referenced key provisions of the Sexual Offences Act, noting that, despite the victim’s marital relationship with Kamara, she did not consent to the sexual acts due to threats of violence and the presence of a firearm. The accused’s use of the gun to shoot the victim’s sister further substantiated the claims of coercion and fear.
Kamara was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on the first count of rape and 20 years on the third count of shooting with intent to kill. These sentences will be served concurrently, starting from the date of his arrest. The court dismissed the charges on counts 4 and 5, relating to possession of firearms and causing bodily harm.
