Sierra Leone: Charging Officer testifies in case of murder

Detective Inspector Brima Amara Munu, who proffered the charges of conspiracy and murder against Baimba Bangura, Mohamed Bangura and two others in an incident which led to the death of one Iye Sesay, has on Tuesday June 30, 2020 testified before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie of Court No.1 on Pademba Road.

The court is trying to find out whether there is sufficient evidence to put the four on trial at the high court.

According to the particulars of the offence, the four accused persons, sometime in April 2020, at Makita village in the Bombali District conspired and murdered Iye Sesay.

According to Inspector Munu, on April 5, 2020, he received a case and enquiry file from Makeni which contained Voluntary Caution Statements and additional statements of the four accused persons from the Regional Headquarter of the Sierra Leone Police at Makeni relating to the alleged killing of Iye Sesay.

He said that on April 16, 2020, together with the first accused, he went to Makita village, Bombali District in furtherance of Police investigation into the matter.

He said the first accused took him to his blacksmith’s hut where the deceased was allegedly beaten to death.

Munu added that they took photos of the crime scene and the stick which the second accused showed which had been shoved into the vagina of the deceased.

He furthered that they took photos of the stick because the first accused alleged that it was enchanted with black magic.

He added that at the crime scene, that is the blacksmith’s hut, the cloth of the deceased had been decorated and placed at the front of the hut.

He disclosed that based upon the evidence they gathered on June 2, 2020, they charged the accused persons with the offences of conspiracy and murder.

However, Principal Magistrate Hannah Bonnie differed cross-examination of the accused to give them an opportunity to contact Legal Aid Board, or to solicit a lawyer.

The accused were sent on remand and the matter was adjourned to July 6, 2020.

By Isabella Cassell

1/7/2020