November 18, 2021
BY: MORISON M. KOROMA
A Man in his forties, who identified himself as Kenie Musa Johu, the town chief of Kambeima, a Village believed to be sited on a disputed boundary between Dama and Gaura Chiefdoms in Kenema District availed himself to personnel at the Eastern Region Police Headquarters after he was accused of killing one Vandi Konneh from the same village.
His confessional statement to the police came weeks after the divisional police mounted investigation regarding the mysterious demise of the deceased whose remains was discovered lying in the pool of thick blood in the middle of a forest about some meters away from the village.
The alleged killer said he used his normal shotgun (single barrel) whilst on a hunting spree to shoot a monkey up a tree but upon his arrival under the tree, he could only find a human being gasping to death.
Talking to this medium, Chief Johu who also acknowledged the insinuation of possessing unlicensed shotgun in Sierra Leone said that the unfortunate occurrence took place since August 2nd 2021, but for the fear of the law he had not presented himself to the police until after 40 days from that gloomy moment.
He had always been accompanying other indigenes from the said village to the kenema police station for investigation on the same matter.
When asked why he only chooses now, Kenie Musa Johu said his people have for more than a month been frightened and deprived by his action and that he wanted to dispel their uncertainties whilst pleading to be pardoned.
“they are my people and I’m not happy seeing them struggling all these while because of my bewildering accident, I’ve been part of the investigating team but it’s high time I showed up and stop them suffering especially when everyone now refused to enter into their own bushes fearing not to be killed too, LET THEM FORGIVE ME”, he softly stated.
Sgt. Prince Bernard Jeigboi Kamara is the police media boss for the Eastern Region. He said the chief’s confession came as a surprise. “It is very surprising to the police, he had been coming to our station from the onset accompanying other suspects for investigation”, he explained adding that the due processes must be met even though the accused presented him voluntarily.
Seventy percent of the deceased’s relatives in kambeima expressed heartfelt dismays, vowing not to ever forgive Chief Johu but pleaded that the law takes it due course, whilst the chief’s family remained shocked and speechless.
Meanwhile, Chief Musa Johu is in custody still helping with necessary information whilst the police await state council’s advice.