The criminal matter involving the state and one Nfamara Saidykhan, who is accused of raping a girl in Jarra Sankuya resumed yesterday before Justice Moses Richards of the Special Criminal Court in Banjul.
The accused, Nfamara Saidykhan, was alleged to have had unlawful carnal knowledge of a 14-year old girl on January 3, 2009, at Jarra Sankuya in the Lower River Region. The accused, in opening his defence, said on the day of the incident, the alleged victim came to his workplace to collect her uniform which he had already sewn. The accused said the alleged victim was given her uniform but she refused to go home immediately, and eventually followed him home.
The accused said whilst they were on their way home, the victim started to beg him for money and he promised to give her money when they arrived, noting that he had no money on him. The accused told the court that upon arrival, he gave her D10, but she protested, saying the money was too small. The accused said the alleged victim eventually jumped onto his bed and started to undress herself. He added that when he saw her nudity, he was aroused and had carnal knowledge of her. He further told the court that when they had finished their coupling, he gave her another D10.
The accused explained that he had good relationship with the victim even before the incident, and had always been giving her money often. He said she made love to him willingly and there was no bloodstain on his bed after the act. The accused person further said that if he had used force, the people in the compound would have known about it. During cross examination by the principal state counsel, S.H. Barkum, the accused said he was forced to thump print both the cautionary and voluntary statements admitting that he had raped the alleged victim.
He said he was hand cuffed and the police did not explain what constituted rape before asking him to thumb print the said statements. The accused said all that the victim had told the court was false and it was the victim who came to his house and provoked him sexually. He also revealed that when he was arrested, his house was searched and his bedsheet and underwear were taken away by the police.
Hearing continues.
source: daily observer
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