Court Issues Bench Warrant for Runaway Accused Over Child Sex Charges

The High Court of Sierra Leone sitting in Freetown has issued a bench warrant for Abu Sesay after he failed to appear in court to answer serious sexual offence charges.

Presiding Justice Mustapha Mohamed Bawoh granted the application for the warrant after State Prosecutor R.B. Harleston informed the court that the accused had repeatedly failed to attend scheduled hearings.

The court ordered that Abu Sesay be apprehended wherever he is found and further directed that anyone with information about his whereabouts, including the victim’s father who was present in court, should immediately report to the police.

Court records dated 8 September 2025 show that Abu Sesay is facing two counts under the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, as amended.

Count one alleges that on 30 May 2025 in Freetown, the accused met a nine-year-old girl, Mariama Jaward, with sexual intent, contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the Act.

Count two states that on the same date and location, Abu Sesay allegedly engaged in sexual penetration of the child, contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, as amended in 2019.

The matter has been adjourned to 14 April 2026 for further hearing.