Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a highly anticipated legal development, three men were found guilty in connection with a plot to murder Dr. Abu Bakarr Bangura, a Law School Director. The accused, 55-year-old tailor Kemoh Bangura, 50-year-old driver Alimamy Bangura, and 58-year-old farmer Pa Alimamy Kargbo, were convicted of soliciting murder under Section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, following a court trial at the Pademba Road Court No. 2.
The case revolved around an alleged conspiracy in which the three men hired a herbalist, Alusine Kamara, to kill Dr. Bangura over a long-standing land dispute. The prosecution, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Juan M.S. Bull, presented a series of witnesses, including the herbalist himself, who testified that the accused offered him land and money in exchange for using black magic to murder the complainant.
Audio recordings provided by Kamara were crucial in the prosecution’s case, capturing the voices of the accused discussing payment terms and plans to eliminate Dr. Bangura. The recordings also revealed that one of the accused had offered his property as collateral for the herbalist’s services.
The defense argued that the charges were flawed due to a technical error in the legal citation and denied the accusations, claiming that the herbalist had been contracted only for healing services. However, Magistrate Santigie Bangura dismissed these claims, stating that the inconsistencies in the defendants’ testimonies were evident and that the prosecution had successfully proven the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Magistrate Bangura deferred sentencing to October 22, 2024. The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting ongoing tensions related to land disputes in Sierra Leone and the lengths some individuals are willing to go to settle them.