July 29, 2021
By Audrey John
Prosecution witness number two on the matter between the state and Lamin Kargbo and three other residents of Tonko Limba village Sulaiman Bah explained before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No 1, how over twenty nine cattles owned by his master Mohamed Wurie Sowe were killed.
The accused persons are before the court for preliminary investigation on charges of stealing cattles, killing cattles and making arrangements to kill cattles.
Led by state counsel Yusif Isaac Sesay, the witness said between 10th December and 16 January 2021, he was in the bush with others watching the cows when they accused came threatened to kill the cattle and them also if they don’t live that area.
He said they immediately went and informed complainant Mohamed Wurie Sowe who went to the scene, put modalities in place and returned to the village.
The witness further told the court that after the complainant has gone, the accused surfaced at the bush with the same threat.
He said in January 2021, three cattles get missing from their ranch and on suspecting that they informed complainant who rushed to the village to ascertain about what he was told.
“Complainant gives us instructions to search for the three missing cattles and during the process we discovered two areas flowing with blood”, the witness said.
He said after sometime they decided to take the cattles out to eat grass and noticed a total of twenty seven cattles missing.
“My Lord the accused stated openly to us in krio that ‘ If u dreb Fulla man e nor go, na for kill e cow Dem”, the witness examined.
In continuation of his testimony, the witness said whatever cattle they saw in the bush will be regarded as bush cattle and they will not hesitate to kill it.
He confirmed that the missing cattles are killed by all four accused persons in the dock and the said act was done exactly where they threatened to do it.
Upon reaching that point, defense counsel WEC Elloba objected to the witness testimony on the ground that his clients are in court for conspiracy and not for cattle murder.
The witness said after all the above happenings, their master accompanied them to go and make statement at Kambia Police Station.
Answering to questions in cross examination by defense counsel WEC Elloba, the witness confirmed that they saw the blood and horns of the cattles at the side of the accused persons.
He said the accused persons were in collaboration with other people whose names he cannot recall.
The witness in response to a question directed to him said that a bullet was removed from the stomach of one of the dead cattle.
At the end of cross examination, magistrate Sahr Kekura adjourned the matter to 4th August, 2021.