By Fatima Kpaka
KONO – The High Court in Kono has on Monday, June 15, 2026, sentenced Amos Aidan Daniel to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to sexually penetrating a two-year-old girl in Kono District, Eastern Province.
Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura delivered the ruling, imposing a life term on count one and 10-year sentences on counts two and three, under the Sexual Offences Act 2012 as amended in 2019.
According to the indictment, the offences occurred on March 4, 2026, when Daniel engaged in acts of sexual penetration with a child under 18. Prosecutor C.R. Sesay informed the court that the defendant had prior criminal records, urging the judge to consider them in sentencing.
Defence counsel A.O. Kamara, in his plea for mitigation, acknowledged Daniel’s previous conviction for wounding with intent but appealed for mercy, noting that the accused had confessed to police and cooperated with investigators.
Justice Bangura, however, underscored the gravity of the crime, describing the acts as “despicable” and stressing their devastating impact on the victim’s future. He remarked that the child’s potential to grow into a professional or leader had been irreparably damaged by the defendant’s actions.
The sentence, life imprisonment on count one and 10 years each on counts two and three, reflects the seriousness of the offence and the court’s determination to protect children from such heinous crimes.