By Musa Paul Feika
Detective Inspector John Sesay, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Waterloo Police Division, in the outskirts of Freetown, has testified before Magistrate Alhaji Suliaman Koroma, of the Ross Road Magistrate Court No. 1, in the on-going murder trial involving five accused, namely Albert Kanyogo, Abdul Salam Conteh, Alie Kamara, Mohamed Dumbuya, Mohamed Kamara and two others who are charged with the offence of murder, which is contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The accused are standing trial for allegedly murdering one Moses Collier on the 29th May 2020 at Choithram factory, S.L.P.M.B. Wellington, in Freetown.
The witness continued his testimony stating that he recognized the accused and could recall the day in question.
According to him, on that fateful day, he was on duty at round 7am, when he received a telephone call from one Alie Kamara, an OSD personnel attached to the Choithram factory Wellington in Freetown. He said Alie Kamara gave him information about the deceased, Moses Collier.
Mr. Sesay added that, upon receiving the information, himself and a team of detective police officers, from Waterloo Police Division, left for the crime scene. He added that, upon their arrival at the crime scene, he discovered that the alleged incident took place at the generator room within the factory compound.
The witness said he also noticed that the first gate leading to the generator room was widely opened, with a stainless padlock hanging on it including a bunch of keys.
Mr. Sesay furthered that the second gate, leading to the generator room, was opened without damage, and it had a brown padlock hanging on it.
He said he saw the deceased lying down in the generator room with blood oozing from his mouth and nostril. He further informed the court that he saw an electric cable tied around the deceased`s neck, even though the electric cable was not installed.
The witness detailed the court that himself and Detective Sergeant 10641, the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO), took photographs of the crime scene. The witness noted that, at the crime scene, he discovered a generator battery, which he said he handed over to the Exhibit Clerk at Waterloo Police Division for safe keeping.
According to Mr. Sesay, the first gate was manned by the first and second accused, and that the generator room was situated between the first and second gate leading to the compound.
The witness noted that the distance between first and second gate was one hundred and seventy nine feet (179ft) and that the distance from the first gate to the generator room, where the incident had allegedly occurred, was one hundred and ten feet (110ft) long.
The witness told the court that, based on his observation, he discovered that the first accused and the deceased were deployed at the second gate leading to the compound.
The witnesses said himself and with the help of others took the deceased at Connaught Hospital mortuary in Freetown.
On diverse dates between 30th May 2020 and 31st May 2020, the witness, went on, he obtained voluntary caution statements from the accused separately, adding that at the end of their statements they admitted them to be true and correct by affixing their right hand thumb prints.
He said the interviewed statements of the accused were witnessed by Detective Sergeant Sesay. These voluntary caution statements were all tendered separately in court to form part of the court`s records.
He rounded up his evidence stating that, on the 3rd June 2020, he charged the accused separately with the offence of murder.
The police charge sheet indicates that the accused, Albert Kayogo, Abdul Salam Conteh, Alie Kamara and two others, on the 29th May 2020, at Choithram factory Wellington in Freetown, murdered one Moses Collier. The accused were refused bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre Pademba Road in Freetown.
The matter was adjourned to 24th August, 2020.