By Emma Black

Joseph Sao Amara, a 25-year-old man, appeared before Sexual Offences Court No. 7 on Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown, on Tuesday, facing a single charge of sexual penetration under Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, as amended by Section 4(a)(ii) of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2019. The accusation stems from an alleged incident on December 26, 2023, involving a child under 18.

Prosecutors claim Amara engaged in an act of sexual penetration with the minor in Freetown, violating laws designed to protect vulnerable youth. When the charge was read and explained, Amara entered a not guilty plea. Unrepresented by legal counsel, he stood alone as the court weighed his fate.

Justice Stevens, presiding over the session, denied bail, citing the gravity of the offense. Amara was remanded to the male correctional facility in Freetown, where he’ll remain until his next hearing. The matter is adjourned to April 30, 2025, setting the stage for a closely watched trial.

The charge reflects Sierra Leone’s stiffened stance against sexual crimes, bolstered by the 2019 amendment that sharpened penalties and protections. With no lawyer at his side, Amara’s plea of innocence will now face the scrutiny of evidence and testimony in the months ahead.