“B”) revealed that the hymen was gone. There were some fresh minor
lacerations around the posterior region of the vulva confirming recent
coitus. There is therefore no doubt whatsoever that the prosecutrix was
sexually assaulted and this I shall hold as a fact. In view of the foregoing, I
am satisfied that the prosecution proved that there was carnal knowledge
of the prosecutrix beyond reasonable doubt.
To determine the second element, I find it necessary to state that in her
testimony before this court, the prosecutrix stated that the accused had
carnal knowledge of her without her consent and that the accused
remained on her until when Pap Ceesay came into the room. This suggest
that Pap Ceesay either caught them red handed or at least met the accused
lying on the prosecutrix in the bedroom. The accused denied all these
allegations. His denials are contained in exhibits “A-A1”. Pap Ceesay is
therefore a material witness whose testimony would have provided direct
evidence to resolve this issue one way or the other. Since the prosecution
must succeed on the strength of its case and not on the weakness of the
defence, it is the duty of the prosecution to call all material witnesses
whose evidence would settle a vital issue. See MARENA v. THE STATE
(1960-1993) GLR 396. Although Pap Ceesay was listed on the list of
witnesses as PW2, the prosecution for some very strange reasons which can
only be attributed to ineptitude and lack of commitment in their
prosecutorial function, failed to call this witness. This legal goof on the part
of the prosecution is compounded by the fact that the witness statement of
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