The Third Judicial Circuit Court in Greenville, Sinoe County under Presiding Judge Geeplah Tiklo Konton has sentenced a 30 year-old man to five years in prison for raping an 11 year-old girl.
According to court records, Archie Wesseh was arrested and charged by the Liberia National Police and then forwarded to court during the November 2018 Term for prosecution.
Defendant Wesseh was arraigned before the court recently and after the indictment was read, pleaded guilty and appealed for mercy.
Judge Konton told the Liberia News Agency that the crime of statutory rape is a major offense, so Wesseh’s guilty plea was set aside as provided by law, and that the state was required to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt during which a 15-man jury was constituted to help the court adjudicate the case.
The state presented two witnesses – the victim and Detective John B. Doeply of the CSD/LNP Sinoe County who testified for and on behalf of the state.
The jurors were charged by the presiding judge based upon the evidence presented and they proceeded to deliberate and thereafter appeared in open court with a unanimous guilty verdict.
The guilty verdict of the jury was affirmed and confirmed by the presiding judge,
Defendant Wesseh was then adjudged guilty of the crime of statutory rape and sentenced to five years in consideration of his confession and plea for mercy.
Wesseh is incarcerated at the Greenville Central Prison to serve his sentence.
LINA
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