Parents of an alleged 3-year-old raped girl (name withheld) came face-to-face with their daughter’s alleged rapist in a courtroom yesterday.  
Alpha Jallow was arraigned before Justice Moses Richard of the Special Criminal Court Division of the High Court for allegedly raping a 3-year-old girl in Barra.
According to the particulars of the offence, the accused Alpha Jallow on 20th March 2009, at Barra “did commit an offence to wit having carnal knowledge of a 3-year-old girl without her consent”.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness, Amadou Sowe, a shopkeeper told the court that on 20th March 2009, the accused went to his shop to buy cigarette and candle.
According to him, when the accused was about to leave he was approached by children playing outside the shop who begged him one Dalasi.
In his narration, he said, the accused told them to follow him to look for a change.
He further revealed that, the accused later drove the little boy away and proceeded with the victim. He said as the victim was nowhere to be seen, a search was mounted to look for her whereabouts. He said during the search, some women found the victim in the streets and brought her home, sustaining swollen face and some bruises on the back.
He adduced that the matter was then reported to Barra Police Station, and subsequently the victim was taken to Essau Health Centre, and later referred to the RVTH.  
He added that the accused was arrested two days after the incident as he was nowhere to be found on the first day. He told the court that an identification parade was conducted and the accused was identified out of the lot.
Also, testifying as the second prosecution witness, the father of the child told the court that on the day in question he was watching a football march when he was informed that the victim was taken away towards the seaside. He said a search was mounted and during the course, they met up with the victim at a junction.
He said he observed that the victim sustained a swollen face and some bruises on her back, and as a matter of fact, the matter was reported to Barra Police Station and the victim was then taken to Essau Health Centre. He said the victim was later referred to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH).
Also, testifying for the prosecution, an 8-year-old boy told the court that he knows the victim and he can recognise the accused person. He said on the day in question, as the accused was leaving a shop they requested one Dalasi from him, and he said he was going to look for a change.
According to the boy, the accused drove him away but continued with the victim. He testified that from there, he went to inform the victim’s father that the victim was taken away.
He adduced that at the police station an identification parade was conducted and he identified the accused as the one who had taken away the victim.
The case was adjourned to 2nd September 2009.