August 9, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Consultant Pathologist, Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, yesterday tendered the cause of death of one Musu Turay, who was allegedly murdered by Sorie Sesay, at the Freetown High Court.
In his testimony before Justice Musu Kamara, Dr. Koroma identified himself as the Government Consultant Pathologist working at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, adding that he is the head of the Scientific Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police, with the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police.
He said he did not recognise the accused person, but recalled 26 September, 2013 while at the Connaught Hospital Mortuary and upon the instruction of the Chief Medical Officer plus a request from the Freetown Coroner, he conducted a post-mortem examination on the remains of one Musu Turay, 34, a former petty trader in Freetown.
He said the body was identified to him by one Marie Turay, elder sibling of the deceased, Investigating Officer, Detective Police Constable 8813 Manah, and Scene of Crime Officer, Inspector I. S. Dumbuya, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department.
He said that after concluding the autopsy, he reduced his findings to a report.
He said the deceased died of external injury to the head and neck plus anhaematoma of head on the occipital aspect.
He said the neck showed extensive bruising and oedema, and that the hyoid bone was fractured, while the upper limbs, trunk and lower extremities were normal and intact.
He concluded that cause of death was spinal cord injury and hyoid bone fracture due to dislocation and fracture of cervical (spine) vertebrae, as a result of manual strangulation, close head injury and hemorrhages into the neck muscles with massive oedema.
The accused though had pleaded guilty to the offence of murder, contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.