Witness says ‘deceased was at the party’
July 10, 2015 By Hawa Amara
First prosecution witness Sahr David Moisay has told the Freetown Magistrates’ Court that alleged murder victim, Sydney Buckle alias DJ Clef, was present at the party that was organised by the second accused Avil Oreh Renner at the Aberdeen residence of first accused Baimba Moi Foray a.k.a. LA-Chocolate, on Friday, 22 May, 2015.
Moisay, who is a Sierra Leonean footballer plying his trade in Cyprus, told the court he and friends – John, Dash and Figo – attended the party in a western suburb of Freetown.
He told the court that while driving through the gated compound that day an Operational Support Division (OSD) officer stopped and ordered him to park his car outside. He explained that he met a friend called Claude when he entered the compound, in the company of other people he could not identify.
He said it started raining an hour after they arrived and that the first accused invited guests inside the house. He said he entered a room where he saw the deceased, while the first accused came around to share drinks and asked whether they were alright.
The witness stated that he and his friends and the deceased were drinking and having fun until the rain ceased.
“We left the room and moved outside. I saw the deceased holding a red cup while we were dancing together with the first and second accused persons,” he narrated.
Moisay further stated that he saw the second accused swimming in a pool and he and other ladies joined her.
He said he, Figo, John and Dash Mike left the party at 4am, adding that he could not ascertain whether the deceased was still at the party when they left.
The matter is being prosecuted by acting Director of Public Prosecution, Sulaiman A. Bah, assisted by M.M. Sowe, M. Egbenda, D. Kamara, N. Davies and A.V. Koroma.
The second accused (Renner) was not represented by a lawyer, while the first accused (LA Chocolate) was represented by O.V. Robbin Mason, E.T. Koroma and O.V Robbin-Mason Jr.
Lead defence counsel, O.V. Robbin-Mason, stated that the matter was attracting the attention of the public and pleaded with the bench to expedite the trial.
The accused persons were arraigned at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1 presided over by Magistrate Komba Kamanda on two counts of conspiracy to murder and murder contrary to law.
Prosecutors say the accused on Wednesday, 15 April 2015 and Monday, 25 May 2015 conspired with other persons to commit a felony, to wit murder, at No.1 John Street, Off Aberdeen in Freetown.
They also alleged that the accused persons on the latter date and same address murdered the deceased, a popular disc jockey.
The matter was adjourned to 16July for further hearing.