By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone – On Monday, 14th October 2024, Police Sergeant 14010 Forneh Kargbo testified in the ongoing murder trial of Ibrahim Samura, who stands accused of the killing of motorbike rider Alfred Jusu. Samura, also a commercial motorbike rider, appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No. 1 on a single count of murder, as charged under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, amended by the Abolition of Death Penalty Act 2021.
The alleged incident occurred on Saturday, 25th May 2024, in Gloucester Village, Mountain Rural District, in the Western Area of Freetown. The prosecution, led by Sergeant 9939 Mohamed Lahai, brought forth their third witness, Police Sergeant Kargbo, who recounted the events surrounding the discovery of the body and the ensuing investigation.
Sergeant Kargbo told the court that she was on duty at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Hilltop Police Station when she received information from Gloucester Village headman, Frederick Hanciles, regarding a dead body. She, along with other officers, proceeded to the scene at Gloucester’s first bridge, where they discovered a naked male body with multiple wounds. Kargbo confirmed that the body was unresponsive, and she documented the scene with photographs, which were later tendered in court as exhibits.
The deceased was identified as Alfred Jusu by his uncle, Timothy Saio, and several motorbike riders. Kargbo testified that on the 27th of May 2024, the police received intelligence leading to the arrest of the accused, Ibrahim Samura. A postmortem was conducted in the presence of the crime scene officer and family members, with the cause of death certificate also submitted as evidence.
Throughout the investigation, the police obtained voluntary caution statements from the accused, which were produced and tendered in court. Legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, dated 27th June 2024, led to Samura being officially charged with murder on 15th August 2024.
During cross-examination, Samura questioned Sergeant Kargbo’s testimony. However, Magistrate Kekura denied bail and remanded the accused to Freetown’s Male Correctional Facility. The case has been adjourned to the 21st of October 2024 for further proceedings.
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