By Ibrahim Sesay
The Resident High Court Judge in Koidu City, Kono District, Honourable Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura, has sentenced 20-year-old Amos Aiah Daniel to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a two-year-old child whose injuries led to her death.
Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura delivered the sentence on Friday, 26 June 2026, at the High Court in Koidu City, Gbense Chiefdom, following the defendant’s guilty plea to three serious sexual offences involving the deceased child.
Amos Aiah Daniel, of No. 9 Sandor Street, Koidu City, was arraigned before the High Court on a three-count indictment of Sexual Penetration of a Child, contrary to Section 4(a)(iii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019; Meeting a Child for Sexual Purposes, contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2012; and Sexual Touching, contrary to Section 20(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
The prosecution told the court that on 4 March 2026, the two-year-old victim died following the sexual assault in Kono District.
When the charges were read, the defendant pleaded guilty to all three counts.
State Counsel Charles Foday Sesay informed the court that the convict had a previous criminal conviction and was also standing trial for another felonious offence. He urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the gravity of the crimes committed.
In his allocutus, the convict pleaded for mercy.
Defence Counsel Alpha Osman Kamara Esq., in mitigation, submitted that his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, cooperated fully with investigators and had not wasted the court’s time. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy and impose a minimal sentence.
In delivering judgment, Honourable Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura acknowledged the defendant’s guilty plea and the judicial time it had saved. However, he emphasized that the seriousness of the offence warranted the harshest punishment.
“The conduct of the convict was despicable and unimaginable for any human being. By his actions, the convict robbed the nation of a potential contributor to nation-building,” Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura stated.
The judge further observed that the deceased child could have grown to become a President, First Lady, Judge, Lawyer, Doctor, Nurse or Accountant.
“These are the aspirations and dreams the convict has killed,” Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura said, adding that the defendant deserved the toughest punishment under the law.
The court subsequently sentenced Amos Aiah Daniel to life imprisonment on Count One for Sexual Penetration of a Child. He was also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on Count Two for Meeting a Child for Sexual Purposes and 10 years’ imprisonment on Count Three for Sexual Touching.
Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura ordered that the sentences run concurrently, making the life imprisonment sentence the effective punishment.
The judgment underscores the Judiciary’s continued commitment to protecting children and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual violence against minors face the full weight of the law.
