ADONKIA MURDER MATTER, ACCUSED HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY

April 15, 2021

By: Francis F.M.Harding

Police Witness (PW) Detective Inspector of Police, Mohamed Kargbo attached to the Homicide Syndicate Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Freetown has testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on the 14^th April, 2021 at the Pademba Road Court in Freetown in an alleged murder case against Sahr Daramy the accused person.

 The witness said he recognized the accused person and recalled on the 7^th January, 2021, when he was on duty at the Criminal Investigation Department a transferred case and enquiry file was received from the Adonkia Police Station, Goderich Division in the Western Rural district of Freetown for an alleged murder case containing seven witnesses statements, abstract police report, endorsed police medical request form, a letter requesting for an autopsy examination and another letter requesting Lands Corporal Daramy in continuation for the investigation.

The witness said on the 8^th January, 2021 he and a team of detective officers, including ASP A. Mondeh the Line manager of the Homicide Syndicate at Criminal Investigation Department with the accused person visited the scene of crime at Borbor village in the Western Rural in Freetown.  The witness said at the scene of crime they did a house-to-house enquires after which they returned to the Criminal Investigation Department. The witness continued that on the 2^nd February, 2021 a reminder letter was sent to the Provost Marshall at the Cockrill North Wilkinson Road in Freetown requesting for Sahr Daramy to face the Police at Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

The witness further said on the 12^th January, 2021 an autopsy examination was conducted on the remains of Abu Bakarr Conteh (deceased) at the Connaught Hospital Mortuary in Freetown by the Government pathologist Dr.Simon Owiss Koroma and later death certificate was handed to them at the Criminal Investigation department. The witness said on the 30^th March,2021, I, Inspector Mohamed Kargbo and Detective Police Constable 15105 Sesay A finally obtained charged statement for the offense of murder.

The witness said that on the 15^th February, 2021 Warrant Officer Class 2 Koroma arrested and brought in Lands Corporal Sahr Daramy to the Criminal Investigation Department. He said the CID headed for investigation on the 16^th February 2021, I together with Detective Police Officer P.Amara obtained voluntarily caution statement from the accused person.

During cross examination, the witness said the accused person denied the allegation. The witness said that the deceased was not beaten days before his death, but said the accused person alleged that the deceased stole his mobile phone. The witness said that he obtained a statement from the elder brother of the deceased.

He witness said that from the investigation the accused person hit the deceased person, Abu Bakarr Conteh with a fence stick which led to his death.  ASP I.S Mansaray represented the State while Lawyer C.I Williams represented the accused person. Matter has been adjourned to the 21^st April, 2021.