By Hassanatu I. Conteh
Ibrahim Samura made his first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No.1 at Pademba Road in Freetown, on a count charge of murder contrary to Offence against the Person’s Act 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) to the Schedule of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2024 Act No.6 of 2022.
The charge sheet states that the accused, on Saturday, 25th May 2024, at Gloucester village Freetown, murdered Alfred Jusu.
Prosecution Counsel led Witness No.1 Timothy who says he is a carpenter. According to the witness, he knows the accused in the matter.
The witness testified that on Saturday, 26th May 2024, he was at his shop when he received a call from a bike rider asking him to go to Gloucester as something gruesome was happening to his cousin, but that on arrival at Gloucester he was told by neighbors that his cousin had been killed and the body has been conveyed to the mortuary by the police.
He explained that on arrival at the mortuary, he was denied access to the body because according to him, the police have said that the decrease was a thief.
The witness continued that the next day he went to the mortuary with their community headman when he was able to identify the deceased as his cousin. The witness added that he made a statement at the Acon Police Station.
The accused was refused bail as he was unrepresented and the matter was adjourned to 6th September, 2024.