By: Edrie Caleb John
On Monday, October 14, 2024, significant progress was made in the murder trial of 23-year-old Ibrahim Samura, a tiller and motorbike rider, who appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown. Samura faces charges of murder under Section 1 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as amended by the Abolition of Death Penalty Act 2021.
According to the particulars of the offense, Samura is accused of murdering Alfred Jusu on May 25, 2024, in Gloucester Village, located in the Western Area of Freetown.
Sergeant 9939 Mohamed Lahai led the prosecution, presenting witness number three, 14010 Forneh Kargbo, who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Hill Top Police Station. During her testimony, Kargbo identified Samura in the dock and recounted receiving information from the village headman, Frederick Hanciles, on the day of the incident.
Kargbo stated that a team of police officers, including Detective Sergeant 10601 Macarthy A.J., traveled to the scene at First Bridge in Gloucester Village. Upon arrival, they discovered a naked male body with multiple wounds. Kargbo attempted to check for signs of life but found the victim motionless. She used her Tecno Spark 10 mobile phone to photograph the deceased, and these images were tendered in court as Exhibit A.
The body was subsequently taken to the Connaught Mortuary for a postmortem examination. Later, Timothy Saio, the deceased’s uncle, arrived at the station and identified the victim as Alfred Jusu, a commercial motorbike rider. Kargbo further explained that she obtained statements from the complainant and witnesses, including the deceased’s uncle.
On May 27, 2024, acting on intelligence, the police apprehended Samura. Kargbo and her colleagues returned to the Hill Top Police Station with the accused on May 29, where they, along with the Scene of Crime Officer Sergeant 13974 Johanenes, witnessed the postmortem examination. Photographs taken during the examination were submitted as Exhibit B.
Between May 28 and 30, Kargbo and Sub Inspector Dumbuya A. obtained a voluntary caution statement from Samura in Krio, which was recorded in English. The statement was read back to him in Krio, and he confirmed its accuracy by affixing his thumbprint. This statement was tendered in court as part of the records.
On June 8, 2024, Kargbo and her team revisited the crime scene, where Samura led them to Mamodu Town, identifying the location of the alleged incident. On June 10, additional voluntary caution statements were obtained from Samura, which followed the same procedure as before and were also tendered in court.
On August 14, 2024, the police received legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), dated June 27, 2024. This advice, along with the charge statement against Samura, was submitted to the court as Exhibit F1-2.
Magistrate Kekura subsequently refused bail, remanding Samura to the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The case has been adjourned to October 21, 2024.
