February 19, 2021
Morlai Gbla (Kambia District)
Following our publication about the mutilated corpse of a final year Engineering University Student, whose story has become a mystery in Kambia district, A-Z Newspaper has learnt that concerned civil society groupings have convened a press conference to register series of concerns leading to an investigation into the incident.
The umbrella body of all Civil Society Organizations in Kambia district called the civil society movement has ended a press conference at the Kambia district Council Hall on Tuesday 16th, February 2021.
The Executive Director of DADA S/L Foday D.M Sesay said the purpose of the conference was to update CSOs on what they have gathered during the past one month and to give feedback on the alleged mutilation of a 31 years old university Student at the Kambia district hospital Mortuary.
Mr. Sesay expressed dismay over the fact that the District Medical Officer (DMO), who had promised to update the family after the burial of the late University Student on the 11th of February has since not done so.
He said the DMO was supposed to have formed a committee that will include a family member of the deceased in conclusively laying the issue to rest by coming out with credible and factual findings as to any foul play in the death and mutilations discovered on the corpse. This action is yet to taken, A-Z Newspaper has gathered.
Mr. Sesay informed all CSOs present that after the press conference a position paper will be put out to dictate the next line of action in resolving the matter.
During the Conference the father of the decease student, Mr. Ibrahim Sorie Dumbuya commented on the death of his son. He started by thanking the Civil Society Organizations, human rights defenders, the police and community people for their tremendous support during the death of his son. He sadly expressed his unhappy state due to the manner in which his late son investigation is going with the Police.
“The loss of my son is heartbreaking not just to me but to the Kambia district as well. He would have become an engineer to serve the people of this our district.”
Mr. Dumbuya expressed his disappointment with the District Health Management Team for taking his son to the holding center on the night of his admission where he spent two days without the family consent.
According to his father the late 31 years old university Student Tina Dumbuya was unable to walk and was taken to the emergency Ward where he finally died. He disclosed that after the death of his son the mortuary management asked him to pay the sum of Le 80,000 for the corpse which he complied with.
He reiterated that on the 11th February, when the corpse was collected for burial, the family detected that some parts of the late man was mutilated and they informed the health authorities immediately to provide explanation.
The District Medical Officer in a radio discussion, denied any wrong doing and associated the act to have been done by a dog, noting that that the mortuary door was without a lock.
The deceased father called on the law enforcement authorities to look at the issue for justice to prevail for his late son..
The Crime Officer of Kambia police division ASP Steven Amara Giama updated CSOs on the alleged mutilation of the 31years old university Student. He highlighted the challenges of the Kambia Police division that they only have one division, which makes it challenging to cover ten Chiefdoms, unlike other district like Port Loko with four divisions.
ASP Giama said the issue of the final year student has become a great concern to them as law enforcement authority. He promised the CSOs and the people of Kambia district that the issue will not been thrown under the carpet, but proper investigation will be done to get the culprits. He confirmed that the mortuary caretaker has been arrested and presently helping police with investigation.
He called on the family and the people of Kambia district to remain calm until police completes the ongoing investigation. ASP Giama sympathized with the bereaved family and said after the investigation ends he will put the report together and invite a pathologist for examination.
Chairman of the Civil Society Movement in Kambia district Mr. Gibril Gottor said his Executive is made of six members and other committee heads. He informed members that since the report of the late ‘T. Man’ on alleged mutilation at the Kambia government hospital mortuary his movement has issued two press releases, and one of the releases condemning the act and asking for justice from the law enforcement authorities and the other release inviting CSOs to discuss the way forward on how to stop a recurrence of such act.
Mr. Gottor further explained that he is disappointed with the management of Kambia Health Management Team because a letter of invitation was extended to them to attend the press conference, but to no avail.
He disclosed that upon receiving the invitation letter the District Health Superintendent in Kambia district said he will not attend the press conference until he received instructions from his authorities.
Chairman Gottor ended by allaying the fears of the Kambia Police division that the district is a law abiding place and that they will continue to keep the peace. He thanked the Kambia Police Division, CSOs human rights defenders for the collaborative effort on the issue.
The Press Conference ended with comments, questions suggestion and recommendations.
All CSOs present agreed to form a monitoring team that will be observing the district health system and also a follow up on the alleged mutilation of late Tina Dumbuya in which 10 members have been selected.
All CSOs agreed that the service of a trained lawyer should be hired in furtherance of the case of the 31years old university Student.
