December 14, 2021
By: Audrey John
40yrs-old Foday Alimamy Yillah made another appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No.1 in Freetown on one count to wit Murder contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offence on the 15th April 2021 at Hastings Village the western area in Freetown murdered Alpha Kargbo.
Fifth Prosecution witness (PW5), Ibrahim Kargbo said he knew the deceased Alpha Kargbo as his uncle and the said Alpha Kargbo is dead recognized the accused person in respect of this case.
PW5 said he recalled on the 15th April 2021 something transpired between himself, the deceased and the accused person.
The witness said he was at home together with the deceased, Saidu Kargbo and Obai, whilst at home the deceased received a phone call that warranted him to informed that OSD officers has gone to the land. The witness said prosecution witness number one asked who were the OSD officers the deceased said he doesn’t know the deceased and he instructed prosecution witness number one to go to the said land to do his findings.
PW5 said after some time the deceased called prosecution witness number one twice on the phone but he didn’t respond, so the deceased advised them that they should go to the land at Pump Line Hastings and they on board a vehicle and drove to the said land.
The witness said on their arrival at the said land they disembarked from the vehicle and saw OSD officers on the land in question including a police vehicle, the witness said prosecution witness number one was in the police vehicle and they open the police vehicle and prosecution witness number one alighted from the said vehicle they started arguing that it is an advantage, and one of the OSD officer started videoing with his phone who is now the accused in the dock.
The witness said he took out his phone and started videoing the accused person was monitoring the deceased and also taking video of the deceased any steps the deceased takes the accused was behind the deceased.
The witness said the accused has the phone of the deceased and prosecution witness number one asked the accused person to handed over the phone to the deceased because the deceased demanding for his phone.
Yillah said suddenly the accused person shot the deceased on his foot with his gun the deceased shouted ‘my toe’, later the accused person shot the deceased again and the deceased fell on the ground the deceased became terrified so he ran away to the next door neighbour. He later received information that Alpha has dead. PW 5 said he made statement to the police station.
PW5 said he uses Samsung phone to video the incident and presented it in court for tendering and to formed part of the exhibits.
Counsel representing the accused person objected to the tendering of the videos and said the videos were transferred into the witness mobile phone through WhatsApp.
Cross examination by defence counsel, C. Campbell asked several questions to the witness. Sergeant 9155 Macarthy Dwight prosecuting the matter.
Matter adjourned to the 15th December 2021.