Detective Police Sergeant 10745 Joy Mariama Kargbo of Lumley Police Station has on Friday August 28, 2020, testified before Magistrate Marke Ngegba of Court No.2 Pademba Road in Freetown in the investigation into what caused the death of a five-year-old girl.
She recognized the accused persons and the complainant, and he recalled on that on June 17, 2020, whilst on duty at the said station, one Emmanuel Lahai arrived at the station and made a report on behalf of Abubakarr Saccoh who is currently living in America that the deceased, who is the daughter of Abubakarr Saccoh, has died whilst in the custody of the 1st accused.
She told the court that when he received the report, the matter was later assigned to her for investigation and on the same day statement was obtained from the complainant.
She continued that she enquired about whereabouts of the deceased, and the complainant responded that the deceased had been taken to the Colombia Davies funeral home.
She added that on June 20, 2020, together with Detective Inspector Jimmy Kanji, Detective Sergeant 7542 Fatmata Koroma and two relatives of the deceased, she went to the Colombia Davies funeral home intending to take snap shots of her mortal remains, but upon arriving at the funeral home they were prevented from so doing, thus prompting her to request for an autopsy to be conducted on the remains of the deceased.
She explained that on June 20, 2020, herself and Detective Police Constable Juanies B. and some relatives of the deceased witnessed the autopsy that was conducted on the remains of the deceased by the Government Consultant Pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma. He added that at the conclusion of the autopsy, a cause of death certificate was handed over to her.
“Upon receipt of the cause of death certificate I eventually arrested the 1st accused, who by then was with us at the Connaught mortuary, and I took her to the Lumley police station on the same day,” he said. According to witness, the investigating team later visited the alleged scene of crime at No.25 Spur Road, and while they were there they arrested the second accused and took him to the station.
She said on June 21, 2020, herself together with the team also arrested Agnes and Alex and they were later taken to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarter together with the 1st and 2nd accused persons for further investigations.
The witness was cross-examined by Lawyer Alhaji M. Kamara on behalf of the 1st accused and I.S.Y Kamara cross-examined the witness on behalf of 2nd accused.
Last Friday, Mariama Sarjo Barrie and Ibrahim Bah made sixth appearance before Magistrate Marke Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown on two count charges of conspiracy to commit murder contrary to Section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861 and murder.
The State alleged that, on Monday April 1, 2020, and on diverse dates in June, the accused conspired with other persons unknown to commit murder and, on Wednesday June 17, 2020, at No. 25 Spur Road in Freetown, they did murder Kadijah Madinatu Saccoh.
The matter was adjourned to Friday September 4, 2020.
By Isabella Cassell
01/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7899