By Isatou Sarr
The prosecution on Tuesday urged the High Court in Banjul to conduct proceedings in camera in the rape case involving Sarjo Bah, citing the need to protect the identity of a minor witness.
Principal State Counsel A. Adewumi Aluko, representing the State before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, said the prosecution’s second witness, identified as PW2, is a minor and should be afforded the protection provided under the law.
She cited Sections 15 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act 2013, which provide for safeguards in sexual offence proceedings, including measures to protect vulnerable witnesses and restrict the publication of identifying information.
K.A. Muhammad represented the accused.
According to the amended information filed before the court, Bah is charged with rape under Sections 3(1)(a) and 3(2)(d) of the Sexual Offences Act 2013.
The charge alleges that on 25 November 2025, the accused engaged in a sexual act with a nine-year-old girl under coercive circumstances. The allegations have yet to be determined by the court.
In earlier testimony, the child’s mother told the court that the alleged abuse occurred on multiple occasions, including at the accused’s residence. She further alleged that the accused threatened to kill the child if she disclosed the incidents.
The mother testified that the family reported the matter to Sanyang Police Station after a nearby clinic declined to examine the child.
She said she and her daughter subsequently gave statements to the police before proceeding to Brikama Hospital for a medical examination.
The witness also told the court that the accused had previously worked as a carpenter for her and frequently picked up the child in the afternoons.
The application for in-camera proceedings is intended to protect the minor witness’s privacy and safeguard her welfare during the trial.
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