August 19, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Wife of late Ambrose Paul-Short, who was allegedly murdered at the Congo Cross Bridge, yesterday testified before Magistrate Dr. Abou Bakarr Benneh Kamara of the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1 on the circumstance that led to death of her husband.
The accused, Abu Bakarr Goma is currently in the magistrates’ Court on a count charge of murder, contrary to law.
The prosecution had alleged that the accused on Saturday 19th March, 2016, at Congo Cross Bridge, Main Motor Road in Freetown, murdered Ambrose Paul-Short.
In her testimony, Umu Paul-Short told the court that she knew the deceased as her late husband.
She also testified knowing the accused and further recalled on the day of the murder incident -19th March, 2016.
She told the court that on 19th March, 2016, she was at home at around 7pm performing her evening prayers, when the accused visited her husband and that both of them were sitting in front of the house.
She said after finishing her prayers, she decided to join their company but the accused asked the deceased that they moved to the back of the house and continue with their conversation.
The witness testified that the accused and her late husband moved to the back of the house, adding that she later saw both of them moving out through the exit gate.
“I asked my late husband as to where they were heading for, but he refused to tell me and they left onboard a motorbike,” she testified.
She said the deceased left one of his mobile phones at home which she used to call him, but the late man couldn’t answer.
“Being a pregnant woman, I was feeling tired and went to bed. I woke up at around 3am and realized that my husband had not returned home .I took the phone and called him again but his phone could not be reached .I couldn’t sleep till 4am when one of his friends – Nelly came asking after him,” she said.
“I told him that my husband went out with the accused and had not returned home .He left and told me that he was going to the residence of the accused and enquire about my husband. He later returned and informed me that the accused had told him that he dropped off the deceased where they used to sit and had fun.”
She further told the court that together with the said friend, she left for the residence of the accused and that all of them went in search of the deceased and that they visited police stations but could not found the deceased.
She said the search took them to Congo Cross Bridge where the accused had told them he dropped off the late man.
“I asked a bread seller who informed me that a certain man was mobbed to the point of death .He directed me to the location and I went there and saw my husband lying on the ground dead .I later returned home and informed his elder brother and both of us went to the police, where I made statement,” she concluded.