KONO, Sierra Leone — A High Court in eastern Sierra Leone has sentenced a man to 15 years in prison after convicting him of sexually penetrating a minor, in a ruling that reaffirmed the country’s strict laws protecting children from sexual exploitation.
Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura sentenced Santigie Sesay on Tuesday after finding him guilty of one count of sexual penetration of a child, contrary to the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, as amended in 2019.
Prosecutors told the court that Sesay committed the offence in October 2024 in Kono District, where he engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl, who was legally a minor at the time.
The prosecution, led by state counsel C.F. Sesay, called four witnesses to prove its case. All were cross-examined by defence lawyer A.O. Kamara.
In his closing address, the prosecutor said the law under which the accused was convicted carries a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life.
During mitigation, defence counsel urged the court to show leniency, describing Sesay as a first-time offender and a young man capable of reform. The lawyer said the convict was remorseful and asked the court to impose the minimum sentence allowed by law.
Sesay also pleaded for mercy in his allocution.
In delivering sentence, Justice Bangura said the court had taken note of evidence that the accused and the victim had been in a relationship and that the sexual act was consensual. However, he stressed that consent is not a defence under the law.
“The provision under which the convict is charged is one of strict liability,” the judge said. “It precludes consent from being used as an excuse because the law seeks to protect minors from sexual exploitation.”
He then sentenced Sesay to 15 years’ imprisonment, the minimum term prescribed by law.
Sierra Leone has in recent years strengthened enforcement of sexual offences legislation, particularly in cases involving minors, as part of wider efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence.
By Sullay Kamara
