By: Joseph Momoh, Reporter D.S.
Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No. 1 has remanded Santigie Kamara to prison following allegations that he killed his elder brother, Francis Amara Kanneh. The accused appeared in court for the first time on Friday, March 14, 2025, facing murder charges under the Offence Against the Person Act, 186, which has been replaced by provision 1(a) of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2022, Act No. 6 of 2022.
According to police reports, the alleged murder occurred on January 19, 2025, at 555 Lorry Park in Waterloo. During the proceedings, the court clerk read the charges against Kamara, but no plea was entered.
The first prosecution witness, Maseray Nallah, a businesswoman, testified that she recognized both the accused and the deceased as family members. She recounted the events of January 9, 2025, when Santigie Kamara entered her shop, ordered an energy drink, and left after stating he would return. Minutes later, she claimed he re-entered the store in his OSD uniform, approached Francis Kanneh, and pointed a gun at him while asserting that he had come specifically for his brother.
Nallah testified that Kamara shot Kanneh three times, resulting in his immediate collapse. She described the horrifying scene, stating that blood was seeping from the victim’s body. When she shouted for help, bystanders rushed to the shop, while panic ensued, leading to the theft of some products. Her sisters later assisted her in getting to Bassa Town.
Following the shooting, Nallah provided a statement at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters. She noted that Francis Kanneh was eventually buried in Kankalay Cemetery in Waterloo.
During cross-examination by defense counsel W. C. Eloba, the witness maintained her account of the events. The accused, Santigie Kamara, has been remanded and will remain in custody until March 20, 2025, for the continuation of the case.
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