By Janet A. Sesay
Prosecution witness, Detective Inspector of Police, attached to the Homicide Syndicate, Criminal Investigation Department, Brima Amara Munu, on Friday 4th September 2020, disclosed that he charged both accused, in Khadija’s alleged murder, with murder, based on the death certificate.
He made this disclosure while he was being cross-examined by Lawyer A.M. Kamara who is the defense counsel for the first accused, Mariama Sajor Barrie. The 1st accused is standing trial before Magistrate Mark Ngegba at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 2 on Pademba Road in Freetown.
During cross-examination, Lawyer Kamara further enquired if a finger print test was done. In his response, Detective Munu revealed that they had done a finger print test result for both accused, but the result is yet to be made available to him.
Lawyer Kamara was peeved and expressed curiosity as to why Detective Munu charged the accused even before the finger print test result was out. He said it is very germane to the case. Detective Munu maintained that he charged based on the cause of death in the death certificate (manual strangulation).
In his testimony to the court, Detective Munu recalled that, on the 21st June 2020, he was on duty at the Homicide Syndicate, when he received a transfer case and enquiry file from Lumley Police Station in respect of an alleged conspiracy to commit murder, involving both accused, for further investigation.
He said the case and enquiry file contained interview statements of the accused, a medical certificate of cause of death and a progress report.
Detective Munu said he took up investigation by further obtaining additional statements from witnesses, as well as visiting the alleged scene of crime. He said, on the 24 June 2020, he further contemporaneously interviewed the second accused by observing the Judge’s Rule.
On the 22nd June 2020, Detective Munu said he further interviewed the first accused, which was also recorded. On the 23rd June 2020, he also conducted another interview, which was adopted by the second accused, adding that, on the 4th July 2020, whiles on duty at the CID, further interviews were conducted for both accused separately.
On the 21st July 2020, Detective Munu said he visited the Choithram Memorial Hospital and interviewed the Hospital Management in respect of Khadiya Saccoh’s demise, and was given a press release in respect of the death.
“We later sent a request to the Scientific Department at CID, for them to examine the mobile phones of both accused to ascertain the contents of the mobile phones. Before long, the Cyber Lab at CID sent a report in respect of the request that we sent, and the said report had been in police custody. I now wish to tender it to form part of the evidence,” Detective Munu explained.
He concluded that, on the 27th July 2020, he finally charged both accused with the offences of conspiracy to commit murder, and murder, which are all contrary to law.
Defense counsel, Lawyer E.T. Koroma, for the second accused, noted a controversy in the police statement, which indicates that the police relied on the autopsy result from the country’s pathologist, but while the police witness was testifying, he said he charged based on the cause of death’s certificate.
Lawyer E.T. Koroma expressed similar curiosity as to the reason why the finger print result is yet to be made available, for he himself was of the view that the result is germane to the case.
State Counsel, Lawyer J.A.K. Sesay, disclosed that he will bring more witnesses to court, but requested for an adjournment. Magistrate Mark Ngegba adjourned the matter to the 8th September 2020.
Mariama Sajor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah stand charged with the offence of conspiracy to commit murder and murder, which are both contrary to law. The police alleged that both accused conspired and unlawfully murdered five year old Khadija Madinatu Saccoh.