By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
17 yrs-old Ibrahim Turay, a former pupil of St Francis Secondary School Portloko JSS1 has on the 30th June 2022 challenged defence counsels C. I Williams Esq and C.Tucker during cross-examination by both counsels representing accused persons, before Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay of the High Court no.1 in Freetown.
State Prosecutor J.S Tucker inquired from the accused in the identification of the accused persons standing trial.
The witness Ibrahim Turay said he recognizes all the accused persons in respect of the matter and that the 4th accused person Micheal Kinny Ndanema alias Kempes was an apprentice to his late father and that he is the errand boy for the 4th accused.
He said on the 10th January 2021 to the 13th of January 2021during the afternoon a certain unknown man met the 4th accused person Micheal Kinny Ndanema alias Kempes that he wants some boys to do a certain mission for him to kill someone.
He said the 4th accused called the 5th accused ‘Ordulay’ to meet him at the Masiaka Park.
He went on that another person came with the 5th accused and that the unknown man whilst present during the arrangements and that the unknown man gave them money and time at which the operation should start and immediately they drove at Berray junction and went to a river and dropped off the unknown man back at Berray junction and that he went to a woman who was selling cookery (street food) and begged of her to wash plates for her in exchange of food.
Ibrahim Turay said at the back of the place where he was washing plates he saw the accused persons at the ghetto and heard the second accused person Chernor Sesay alias Tecno say the mission they were to embark on they should do it fast.
He said he followed them and that the first accused person at the time they were to embark on the mission wore a red polo shirt and black jeans and had a bag with him that he gave him to hold with his police uniform inside of the bag.
Ibrahim Turay said the first accused was unaware that he came with the 4th accused and again met the unknown man at Masiaka and that the second accused person Chernor Sesay alias Tecno said to the man the mission we are about to do we don’t want u to waste our time in paying us.
He said he handed over the bag back to the first accused and realized that they were going to kill someone from the conversation he heard.
He furthermore went on that upon returning hours later he heard cries of people saying that a group of armed robbers had killed someone named Speedo and immediately went to the police to report when he said he saw the first accused now dressed in police uniform and told the police that the first accused were part of the armed robbers that killed and robbed Speedo but that the first accused told him to shut up and leave the station but that he reluctantly refused.
He said he saw people gathered at the station and persistently again tried to communicate to people that he knew the culprits but that they ignored him and also saw the brother of the deceased and told him but that the brother was in tears and ignored him.
He said on the day of the funeral he saw them coming with food and saw the brother of the deceased approach him that he knew the culprits and explained everything to him in private and that they both reported the matter to the police.
He said other officers threatened him and locked him up and that they asked him if he knew the culprits and if he can identify them and answered yes.
He said they took him to Masiaka Junction and lined them up and pointed out the accused persons.
When asked in cross-examination by defence counsels if he was being truthful about the whole scenario he then asked defence counsels if they were the ones present at the time of the incident and that they knew nothing of it other than when the matter was brought to their knowledge.
The State Prosecutor was J.S Tucker Esq and Defense Counsel for the first accused person ISY Kamara Esq, C. I Williams Esq for the Second and C.Tucker for the 3rd, 4th and 5th accused persons.
The matter has been adjourned to the 7th July 2022.
