A Peace Corps Volunteer from the United State of America (name withheld) yesterday, 12th November 2009, appeared at the Special Criminal Court of the High Court in Banjul as a State witness in an alleged rape and robbery case against one Sara Camara.
She told the court that sometime on 10th of August 2009 she was raped and robbed off her mobile phone by one Sara Camara at the Fajara Beach Hotel.
Narrating her ordeal before Justice Moses Richards, she stated that while walking along Kairaba Avenue towards Fajara Beach Hotel for meditation around 7:30pm she heard footsteps of someone approaching her.
According to her she, as a result she fastened her footsteps, but eventually a man grabbed her from behind and started searching her.
"I screamed and he grabbed me tighter," she said.
She testified that the accused removed her mobile phone (Nokia) and her keys went missing from her pocket during the struggle.
"He started dragging me towards the palm trees. I was still screaming and struggling. He wrestled me on the ground and strangled me on my neck," she narrated.
"He told me that I will give you back your phone in return for sex and I said no," she explained to the court.
She further testified that the accused continued to grabbed her neck while on the ground and torn her shirt and started undoing her trousers.
She added that she refused to open her legs and the accused continued to tight her neck to the point that she cannot breath.
She further told the court that she started going unconscious and later the accused knocked her down, removed her trousers and succeeded in having carnal knowledge with her. She added that after satisfying his sexual urge, he anxiously helped her to dress up.
"I went to MRC and reported the predicaments to the guards and I was later taken to the Peace Corps House and then to the Peace Corps medical center for a medical test," she said.
