By: Problyn J Alpha.
Police at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Tankoro Police Divisional Headquarters in Koidu City arrested motorbike rider Joshua Pewa for serving as a major cause for the death of a suspect in police cells at the Kembadu Police post Resettlement area in Koidu City.
It could be recalled that the police suspect Tamba Mattia, also a commercial motorbike rider, was early last month approached by another motorbike owner to ride for him. Still, because of ill health, he led the motorbike owner to another commercial motorbike rider to undertake the said function.
Upon reaching an agreement, according to reliable information, the motorbike owner shared the transport fare paid by a passenger among the three of them: the rider, the deceased, and the motorbike owner. Then the rider in question, Joshua Pewa, rode off for the destination of the passenger, but never returned for a couple of days.
This information prompted the motorbike owner to report the matter to the Kembadu Police Post after efforts by the deceased to locate the absconded rider proved futile. Others present noted that Tamba Mattia, the deceased, was unwell and pleaded with the police not to arrest and place him in police cells.
Still, the plea fell on deaf ears as the deceased was arrested and taken to the Kembadu Police post, where an eye witness also confirmed that the deceased indeed was unwell and if placed in police cells, he might likely died due to his illness.
The information pointed out that police went ahead and locked up Tamba Mattia in one of their cells until they later heard about his death the following day.
Meanwhile, prior to the death of Tamba Mattia, since Joshua Pewa, the commercial motorbike rider, absconded, he was only arrested after the demise of his colleague, commercial Tamba Mattia, in police cells who introduced him to the motorbike owner riding between Bumpeh Town in Nimikoro Chiefdom Kono District and Kenema.
In his confessional statement at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Tankoro police divisional headquarters, the absconded commercial motorbike rider noted that he never knew what went over him to have run away with the motorbike in question that led to the death of his colleague commercial motorbike rider in police cells.
Sources said the motorbike owner didn’t commit any crime for reporting at the Kembadu police post about his motorbike’s disappearance. He was arrested and detained in police cells in Tamba Mattia until he gave up the ghost.
The two police officers have been released on bail pending police investigations at the Complaint Discipline Internal Investigations Department ( CDIID ) Tankoro police divisional headquarters in Koidu City.
