By Musa Paul Feika
Police Officer attached Operations Support Division, Jui Police Post, Inspector Bangura has blundered in his testimony by failing to identify clothes worn by the accused persons during the alleged murder.
Inspector Bangura while testifying in an on-going murder trial in a Magistrate court presided over by Alhaji Sullaiman Koroma.
The deceased Alhaji Muctarru Bah was allegedly murdered by three accused persons including Abdul Sankoh.
The incident was alleged to have taken place on 5th June this year at Hastings Village outside Freetown.
The prosecution, Lamin Bangura recognised the accused, and recalled 5th June this year.
On the said date, Inspector Bangura said he was on a beat patrol at Hastings community with his colleagues when he received a distress call from the Commanding Officer, Police Academy at Hastings.
The information indicated that residents of Hastings community had arrested an armed robber in the vicinity.
Upon such information, he said, he led the police patrol to the scene of crime to know what happened.
Inspector Bangura further testified that the crime scene was noisy and crowded when they arrived there.
The witness also told the court that he had instructed Idrissa Bah, the deceased’s elder brother to open the gate leading to the compound which he did.
Upon their entry into the compound, witness said, he saw the accused and an unknown person forcefully entering Bah`s compound and dragged the deceased outside.
But he said he succeeded in rescuing the deceased from the hands of the accused and took him to the Jui Police Post.
Inspector Bangura also narrated that the deceased had earlier told him that the three accused persons were those who had been beating him.
The deceased, witness said, later passed way while responding to medical treatment at Rokupa Government Hospital in Freetown.
Inspector Bangura said the accused was arrested and taken to the Jui Police Post, outside Freetown, for investigation.
The accused persons are represented by counsels Ronald Gidwani and Samuel Rodney Valcarcel who cross-examined the witness.
Counsel Valcarcel put it to the witness, during cross examination, that he was not part of the investigation team and that the only role he played was taking the suspect (now deceased) into custody to which witness answered in the positive.
The witness was also asked by the defence counsel if he observed any wound or bleeding on the decease and he answered no.
Upon further cross examination, the witness could not tell colour of the clothes of any of the accused persons.
The defence counsel also challenged the witness he arrested the accused persons because they had gone to the station at dawn to make a report of their ordeal.
Counsel Valcarcel similarly put it to the witness that the accused persons were arrested only to have persons to blame.
Police charge sheet indicates that the accused, on 5th June, 2020, at Hastings Village, outside Freetown, murdered Alhaji Muctarru Bah.
Accused persons were denied bail.
The matter comes up on 7th September.