July 13, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
The first file in an alleged killing of twenty seven (27) cows have been discharged and the State prosecutor came up with a new file including four accused persons. First Police Witness (PW1), Mohamed Wurie Saw a business man who is doing cattle rearing business in the Kambia district and of No: 3 Sani Abacha Street Freetown have appeared for the first time before Magistrate Sahr Keikura of Court No 1 in Freetown on the 9th July, 2021 at the Pademba Court in case involving Lamin Kargbo, Alhassan Turay, Soko Samura and Salifu Turay all are charged with conspiracy to commit the killing of cattles and killing cattles contrary to the Larceny Act of 1916 and killing of cattle contrary to section 40 of the malicious Damage Act1861.
According to police charge sheets, the accused persons are charged with two counts of larceny of cattle and killing of cattle. It is alleged in count one that the accused persons between the 10th December, 2020 and the 16th January, 2021 at Kasigiri village village in Tonko Limba chiefdom in the Kambia district North West Region of Sierra Leone conspired together and with other persons unknown to commit a felony to with killing cattle.
In counts two, that the accused persons between the 10th December, 2020 and the 16th January, 2021 at Kasigiri village village in Tonko Limba chiefdom in the Kambia district North West Region of Sierra Leone maliciously killed twenty seven (27) cows valued at one hundred and thirty nine million, five hundred thousand Leones (Le139, 500,000/00) property of Mohamed Wurie Saw. It could be recalled that the four accused persons were brought before Magistrate Sahr Keikura and the First Police Witness started testifying on the 7th July, 2021 and the matter was adjourned to the 9th July, 2021.
Testifying in court the witness Mohamed Wurie Saw said he recognized the four accused persons in this case for his cattle’s. Witness said he recalled between the 10th December, 2020 and the 16th January, 2021. He said information was given to him by Sulaiman Bah and Ahmed Sow about the killing of his cows in early 2021.
He said on the 11th January, 2021 he was informed by his workers in his warreh in Kasigiri village in Tonko Limba chiefdom Kambia that twenty seven cows have been killed by the accused persons as they have long threatened to kill his cows.
Witness said immediately after receiving the information he left for his warreh in Kasigiri village in Tonko Limba chiefdom Kambia district to ascertain the information. He said he got the information from his workers that twenty three of his cows had dead. Witness said on the 14th January, 2021 he travelled to Tonko Limba chiefdom Kambia district.
Witness said he was in his warreh and discovered that twenty seven cows have been missing and searched was conducted but to no avail. Witness continued that the nine male cows and eighteen female has died. Witness said he returned to Freetown and later went back to Kambia to compliant to the Fulla tribal chief but could not meet with him.
Witness said he went back to the Officer in Charge of crime and went with him to the scene of crime to take snap shots. He said he saw cow blood in the two different locations. He said he also called the veterinary officer to see the cows at the scene of crime to know the cause of death. Witness said he reported the matter at the Kambia Police Station.
Under cross examination, defense Lawyer W.C. Elloba asked the witness if he is the owner of the cows. Witness said yes. Defense counsel asked the witness how many cows were in his warreh. Witness said over four hundred cows. Defense asked the witness how many hyphen and bull cows he has. Witness said about 157 bull cows and over 280 hyphen cows. Defense counsel asked witness if he does count his cows. Witness said yes as every year he counts and does zakat’s.
Defense Lawyer Elloba renewed his application for bail but bail was not granted, the Magistrate said the witness should produce the document of record of his warreh. State counsel told the bench to consider the inter-district restriction.
However, bail refused for all four accused persons and was sent to the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown. The State prosecutor is Lawyer Y.I. Sesay while Lawyer W.C. Elloba represented all the four accused persons. The matter has been adjourned to the 14th July, 2021.