By Feima Sesay
Abdul Alpha Turay, an SSS pupil of Saint Edwards Secondary School and Amara Sesay a security guard have on Monday 3rd June 2024 sent on remand by Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No1 for the alleged murder of one Amara Mansaray.
The accused persons made their first appearance and were arraigned on two counts charges of conspiracy to murder contrary to section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and murder contrary to section 1 of the offences Against the Persons Act 1861 as repealed and replaced by section 1(a) to the schedule of the Abolition of the death penalty Act, 2021 Act No 6 of 2022.
According to the indictments, the accused persons on Wednesday 10th April 2024, at Coke Drive, Off Regent Road, Lumley Freetown conspired together and with other persons unknown to murder Amara Mansaray.
The police further alleged on count two that the accused persons on the same date and place murdered Amara Mansaray.
When the charges were read no plea was taken.
The first prosecution witness Abdul Abdel Kargbo, in his examination in chief led by Inspector Mabel Tarawally, said he is a pupil and cousin to the deceased Amara Mansaray.
The witness recognized the accused persons and further recalled Wednesday 10th April 2024.
On the said date at around 5am, the witness said he went to Sheriff Drive Junction where they usually sit together with the accused and the deceased and met the first accused there.
“Whiles we were there, I heard the first accused saying that he saw the deceased stealing two bunch of wood and that he instructed him to take the wood back and was about to do so the deceased closed the gate of the mosque and he shouted at the deceased thief thief,” he said.
According to the witness, the accused further told him that after he had shouted thief at the deceased, people came out and started beating the deceased and he ran to the caretaker of the mosque, adding that the caretaker in turn pushed the deceased down.
Whiles they were sitting at the same junction, one of their friends came and informed them that the first accused had beaten victim to death. So himself together with the first accused and others left for the scene very close to the mosque at sheriff drive.
”On our arrival at the scene, I ran to call one of our relatives and we went back to the scene. Whiles we were there, a police van came and and when the first accused and the caretaker saw the police, they ran together with others but were later arrested and taken to the Lumley police station where I made statements,” he narrated.
During cross examination of the witness led by Lawyer D. Barrie for the first accused, the witness confirmed that all what he knew in respect of the matter was what he was told by the first accused.
When asked whether he saw the accused beating the deceased prior to his death, the witness replied in the negative.
No question was asked on behalf of the second accused by lawyer Sigismund Conteh.
The matter was adjourned to Thursday 6th June 2024 for further hearing.
