BY FEIMA SESAY
The Government Consultant Pathology Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma has on Tuesday, 28th July, 2020 said that the Late 5 year- Old Khadija Madinatu Saccoh ‘’did not die due to sexual penetration’’ as alleged but says his findings were ‘’due to manual strangulation spinal cord injury and bitten tong.’’
Dr. Koroma made this disclosure whiles he was testifying before magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No2 in the alleged murder trial of the five year- old kid.
The two accused persons who appeared in the dock where Mariama Sarjor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah.
They both have spent about a month at Criminal Investigations Department (CID), since they had been arrested by the police. They face a two counts charge of ‘’Conspiracy to Murder contrary to section 4 of the offences against the persons Act 1861 and Murder contrary to law.’’ The court said, Tuesday.
State Prosecutors had alleged that both accused persons ‘’on 1st April, 2019; and on diverse dates between that day and on Wednesday, 17th June, 2020, at No25 Spur Road, Freetown conspired together with other persons unknown to murder Khadija Madinatu Saccoh. ‘’
The indictment further states that the accused persons ‘’on Wednesday, 17th June, 2020, at the same address murdered Khadija Madinatu Saccoh.’’ It notes.
After the charges had been read; and explained in Court to the accused persons none of the accused took plea.
The prosecution’s witness No1 Dr. Owizz Koroma who was led in evidence by State Lawyer, Joseph Andrew Kalic Sesay told the court that on the 20th June, 2020, upon the instruction of the Chief Medical Officer and the request of the Corona of Freetown, he carried out an autopsy examination on the remains of Khadija at the Connaught Teaching hospital in the presence of relatives of the Deceased.
He said the late girl’s relative; Isatu Jabbie Kabba, the Investigation Officer and the Scene of Crime Officer were all present at the scene.
He continued that after of his investigations, he then reduced his findings to a medical report and issued the original certificate of the cause of death to the relatives of the deceased for proper burial, and that a copy was given to the Investigating officer for onward delivery to the Judiciary and the head of CID as per internal best practice.
At this stage, the five page (s) medical report was produced and tendered in court and marked as exhibits A1-5 respectively to form part of the prosecution’s case.
Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma emphasized that the cause of death of Khadija was due to ‘’manual strangulations, fractures spinal cord, bitten tong that causes her severed pain, Hemorrhagic shock showing injury to the nerves, several finger nails scratches on both sides of the neck that led to the dislocation of the neck. .’’ he told the court.
He explained further that the primary signs of the virginal were ‘’absence with virginal wide open showing that two fingers can access, ‘’adding that the’’ anus was even wide open due to physical, brutal and violent sexual abuse and her tong was bitten.’’ Dr. Koroma noted.
“In my expert and professional opinion, the cause of death of Khadija was unnatural and the manner or Mode was Homicide, and in the case of Khadija, the virginal penetration was not the cause of her death”, he confirms.
According to him, at the time the deceased was brought to the hospital for examination her neck was still bleeding. But further said there was’’ no bleeding on the virginal, no swollen of the Volver, no fracture skull, the chest shows no lickage, both lungs normal, teeth intact, brain intact and legs intact.’’
Noting that the deceased died due to ‘’manual strangulation, massive swollen neck and the dislocation of the spinal cord.’’
At this juncture, the lead defense Lawyer Alhaji M. Kamara told the court that he could not crossly examined the witness for now because he is an expert witness and his evidence is very key to their case and therefore, he needs to do some consultations.
The Lawyer requested for the cross examination to be defer to another date.
He pleaded with the court for a speedy trial.
The Director of Public Prosecution, representing the State, Lawyer Esmon B. Ngakui assured the court of his cooperation for a speedy trial.
He noted that he would ensure that the matter comes to a conclusion at the Magistrate Court within two weeks if the defense gave them the opportunity.
Lawyer J.A.K Sesay was also part of the prosecuting team on behalf of the state; whilst Lawyers; Alhaji M. Kamara, Claudius Campbell, L.J. Kamara and M.E Bairoh formed the defense team.
Magistrate Mark Ngegba adjourned the case to the 4th August, 2020.
