By Musa Paul Feika
Detective Police Constable 1774, Mohamed Lamin Kanu, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Grafton Police Station on the outskirts Freetown, has testified in a murder matter involving one Mohamed Barrie, who is standing trial at the Ross Road Magistrate Court No. 1, presided over by Magistrate Alhaji Suliaman Koroma.
The witness told the court that he recognized the deceased, Adekallay Bangura, as well as the accused, Mohamed Barrie, and he recalled Monday 16th December 2019, adding that while on duty at the Grafton Police Station the complainant, Adekallay Bangura, reported a matter that had to do with wounding with intent.
He furthered that the matter was allocated to him for further investigation, adding that he issued the complainant, Adekallay Bangura, a police medical request form for examination and treatment at the Rokupa Government Hospital, Wellington, east of Freetown.
According to him, after few hours, he received a call from one of the relatives of the deceased, Mohamed Mansaray, who informed him that the complainant had died in the said hospital, noting that he visited the scene of crime at Grafton.
The witness added that, on Tuesday, 17th December, 2019, the youths of Grafton Community apprehended the accused, Mohamed Barrie, and brought him to the police station, adding that he obtained a voluntary caution statement from the accused and he admitted it to be true and correct by affixing his right hand thumb print, and, according to him, it was witnessed by Detective Sergeant 11692 Jusu P.
The witness ended his testimony that, on the 30th December 2019, he charged the accused with the offence of murder, which is contrary to law.
Court detail adduces that Mohamed Barrie, on Monday 16th December 2019, at Grafton in the Freetown Judicial District in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone, murdered Adelkallay Bangura.
The accused was denied bail and remanded while the matter comes up 23rd April, 2020.