38-Year-Old Cleaner Mohamed Swarray Sentenced to 25 Years for Rape in Freetown

Mohamed Swarray, a 38-year-old cleaner employed by a microcredit finance company, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown.

Justice Adrian Fisher delivered the sentence at High Court No. 1 on Siaka Steven Street, Freetown. Swarray was found guilty of rape, violating Section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012), as amended by Section 2(a)(ii) of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 2019 (Act No. 8 of 2019).

The offense occurred on November 23, 2023, in Freetown, where Swarray intentionally engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a woman without her consent.

The victim testified that around 9 p.m., her team leader, Jean Conteh, along with four others, arrived at her home. At that time, her eight-year-old daughter was unwell and had been hospitalized for several days.

The team leader informed her that she needed to be taken to the office due to an outstanding debt owed to the microcredit company in Portee. The victim agreed to accompany them, bringing her daughter along.

Upon arriving at the office, the victim stated that Jean handed her over to a female staff member, and the other individuals left. The victim, her daughter, and three staff members, including the manager, were present at the office. The manager, whom she recognized, instructed Swarray to release her if she paid half of the outstanding amount; otherwise, she would be detained until the following morning, at which point law enforcement would be involved.

While seated on the office veranda with her daughter, Swarray summoned her into the office. The office comprised two rooms: one open and one enclosed. Swarray forcefully pushed her into the restroom, causing her to hit the wall in front of her daughter. Despite her daughter's pleas, Swarray ignored them.

Subsequently, Swarray called her from the office parlor, and she sent her elder daughter to her brother's residence for safety. Swarray then positioned himself by the door and forcibly pulled her back into the room, closing the door behind them. He pushed her onto a foam mattress on the tiled floor, with her clothing and shoes nearby. As she lay on the mattress, Swarray pressed a pillow over her mouth, attempted to remove her undergarments, and forcibly inserted his penis into her vagina, despite her resistance and distress. She was observing a fast at the time, which hindered her ability to effectively resist.

Swarray ejaculated inside her, then stood up and opened the door. The victim promptly took her daughter and exited the office. She subsequently reported the incident to the police station at Portee Wharf but was informed that officers were not available at night. She then reported the incident at Grassfield Police Station, where a formal statement was recorded.

Justice Fisher stated that Swarray should not have been at liberty, as he exploited the victim's vulnerable state. The court found sufficient evidence to convict him of the charge. Consequently, Swarray received a 25-year sentence at the male correctional facility in Freetown.