By: Audrey Raymonda John
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohamed B. Conteh led the formal witness i.e first prosecution witness (PW1) Mohamed Koroma residing at No. 91 Upper Brima Lane in Wellington Freetown who is attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Kissy Police Station in Freetown, told the court that he recognized the accused and the complainant.
He said he recalled Friday 14th July 2023 while he was on duty at the at the said unit at the Kissy Police Station in Freetown, when he received information from Sergeant Detective Sergeant 10227 Kamara from the Approved School Post.
He said upon receiving information, he and Scene of Crime (SOCO) Detective Sergeant 10751 and a team of officers left for the crime at No. 6a Savage Street in Wellington Freetown.
Koroma said upon their arrival, he discovered that the accused was lying in a parlor with multiple wounds and was blooding.
He also said he discovered blood on the floor leading to the bathroom and subsequently saw the deceased, Isha Saidu Hunghes lying naked with multiple wounds on her body.
At the crime scene, he said he discovered hammer and a knife with a sharp mental object. The witness said he called the deceased thrice and shook her body, but she was motionless.
Mr Koroma said SOCO took photographs of the crime scene.
He said the accused was taken to the Emergency Hospital Goderich in Freetown for treatment while the deceased was taken to the Connaught Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
He said the items he discovered at the crime scene were handed over to the Exhibit Officer at the Kissy Police Station.
On 15th July 2023, he obtained statements from the complainant and witnesses respectively.
On 24th July 2023 he said in his presence together with crime Scene Officer Postmortem was conducted on the deceased and the cause of death; a certificate was handed over to him.
The cause of death certificate was produced to form part of the court’s records.
He said on 25th July 2024 he and DPC 20102 Bangura Y.S obtained a voluntary cautioned statement from the accused at the Kingtom Police Station, which he admitted it to be true and correct by affixing his right hand thumbprint, witnessed by DPC 20102.
The accused’s voluntary caution statement was produced and tendered to form part of the court’s records.
He said on 11th August 2023 he and DPC 18009 Sandy M.S charged the accused with the offence of murder. The accused’s charge statement was tendered in evidence.
Though the accused was not legally represented, Magistrate Kekura accorded him an opportunity to cross examine the witness.
Responding, the accused told the court that he had no questions for the witnesses.
Prosecution witness (PW) 2, Princess Elizabeth Kamara a class 3 Pupil of Remi Ashmoun Primary School in Freetown has testified in the ongoing murder matter involving her grandfather, Suliaman Conteh.
The accused, Suliaman Conteh was charged to court for allegedly killing his sister, Isha Saidu Hunghes on Friday 14th July 2023 at No. 6A Savage Street in Wellington Freetown.
In continuation of her evidence in chief, she said she recognized the deceased; Isha Saidu Hunghes as grandmother while the accused as her grandfather.
She said she could recall on the day in question, continuing that on that fateful day, she and her brother, Prince John Kamara on of the same address were inside the parlor while the deceased was in her bedroom.
She added that the accused knocked at the deceased’s door and she heard a noise and the deceased was shouting.
She told the court that the accused was in possession of an iron which he used to slap the deceased.
PW2 said the deceased went into the bathroom and her brother went with her, while they all went to sleep, adding that when she woke up, the deceased was nowhere to be found.
She said she and her brother went in search of the house key; adding that she met one Mummy Fatmata and Zainab went outside and asked whether they saw the deceased.
PW2 said at that point, Madam Fatmata called upon their relatives, adding that Fatmata’s husband, whose name was not mentioned, came at the crime scene trying to open the door, but he couldn’t.
She said they called a carpenter, who broke into the house and saw the accused that had already stabbed himself lying in pool of blood.
He said both the accused and the deceased were taken outside since then she has not set eyes on them.
She concluded her evidence that she made a statement at the Kissy Police Station in Freetown.
Magistrate Kekura denied the accused bail and remanded him at the Male Correctional Centre at Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to 21st August 2023 for further hearing.