Coffee Seller Pleads Guilty to Defiling a Minor
Lady Justice © Askanwi Media
By Fatoumata Konteh
A coffee seller, Momodou Salieu Jallow, has been remanded at Mile 2 Prison pending sentencing after pleading guilty to a charge of defilement of a minor, which leads to pregnancy.
Jallow appeared before Magistrate B. Sowe on 14th October 2026, and pleaded guilty to the charge brought under Section 5(1) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2013.
The prosecution was represented by Cadet ASP S. Bah and Chief Inspector A. Bojang on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), while the accused had no legal representation.
According to the prosecution, the offence occurred within the Kanifing Municipality in August 2026, when Jallow allegedly had sexual intercourse with the victim without her consent.
When the charge was read and interpreted to him in a language he understood, Jallow admitted the offence but claimed the encounter was not forced. He told the court that the girl had visited his house and that he had sexual intercourse with her only once.
Narrating the facts, the prosecution told the court that the victim was selling water at a garage in Kanifing Municipality when she first met the accused. Jallow allegedly bought all the water she was selling, shared it with his friends, and later gave her a SIM card to facilitate communication between them.
The court heard that the accused subsequently contacted the victim on several occasions, and on one Sunday evening in August 2026, the victim reportedly left home to visit a friend. While on her way, Jallow allegedly called her and took her to his residence, where the sexual encounter occurred.
The prosecution said the victim experienced pain during the encounter and later noticed blood coming from her private part after returning home, but no report was filed.
The matter came to light on 2nd October 2026, when the victim complained to her mother about feeling unwell and experiencing pain.
Concerned about her daughter’s condition, the mother reportedly took her for a pregnancy test, which returned a positive result. When questioned, the victim allegedly identified Momodou Salieu Jallow as the person responsible for the pregnancy.
The prosecution further told the court that the mother and daughter visited the accused at his residence, where the mother confronted him about the pregnancy and requested D10,000 to assist with her daughter’s care. However, Jallow allegedly said he could only afford D2,000.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police. The victim was taken for a medical examination and referred to the Gender and Child Welfare Unit.
During the proceedings, the prosecution applied to tender the victim’s birth certificate and the accused’s cautionary and voluntary statements as exhibits. Jallow accepted the facts presented by the prosecution.
In mitigation, he appealed to the victim’s mother for forgiveness and promised to take care of the victim if given the opportunity.
Magistrate Sowe ordered that Jallow be remanded at Mile II Central Prison pending sentencing. The case was adjourned to 12th November 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
