By Alimatu Jalloh
Pastor Paul Daniel Frank was on Friday 8th, September, 2023 acquitted and discharged after he was alleged to have engaged in an act of sexual penetration of a child by Justice Cosmotina Jarrette.
The accused had been charged for sexual penetration contrary to section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 Act No.12 of 2012.
The particulars of offence alleged that on a date unknown between the 1st day of January 2016 and the 31st of December 2016 at Freetown, Sexually penetrated a child.
Delivering judgement on the said matter, she noted that during the trial the prosecution led 5 witnesses including the victim, her victim aunt, the investigating officer and a representative from the Rainbow Centre, a child welfare institution dedicated to serving the welfare of mainly girls that had been the victim of sexual and other forms of abuse.
In the fact as read in the charges it is alleged that the victim had been staying with the accused who is the husband of her aunt. About 2017 and 18 the aunt decided to leave the house on the grounds that the accused had been pampering the victim and even doing all the house work the 7- years old girl was supposed to had been doing which included washing, fetching water, cleaning the toilet.
She added that at a certain time when the victim went to stay with her biological father and step mother, the step mom observed something which gave cause for the child to be taken to the 34 Military Hospital where she was treated, thus giving rise to allegations that she had been tampered with.
The father then confronted the Aunt with whom the child had stayed after she had been allegedly abused by Pastor Paul Daniel Frank, the husband of the aunt, adding that the accused denied the allegation sworn on a bible and they including the elders in the church were the accused is a pastor and they resolve that the matter be taken to court.
Furthering the judgement justice Cosmotina Jarrette submitted that during the trial there had been lots of inconsistencies and great discrepancies between the evidence that had been given in chief and what came out in cross examination.
She continued that throughout the trial the evidence had not been corroborated among the 1st to 4th witness, which include the victim, the wife of the accused, the investigating officer and the father of the victim. She emphasized that in every case the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubts which had not been seen in that case. He added that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th witnesses had not been reliable and truthful.
She commended both the defense led by Lawyer Abraham Kargbo and Y. S. Koroma from the state as both their addresses had helped the court.
“I therefore Acquit and Discharged the accused,” she ruled.