October 25, 2016 By Hawa Amara
Magistrate Dr. Abou Bakarr Binneh-Kamara of the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No 1 has concluded preliminary investigations into the murder trial of a nine-month pregnant woman who allegedly killed one Sama Bangura in June this year.
The last prosecution witness to testify in the matter before Magistrate Dr. Binneh-Kamara committed the matter to the High Court was a certain Detective Police Constable 1513 Kabba M. D., attached to the Homicide Syndicate at the Criminal Investigation Department.
DPC Kabba told the court that on Monday, 20 June, 2016 while he was on duty, an enquiry file of domestic violence that resulted to death was transferred from the Family Support Unit at CID to their department for further investigation.
He said the accused was identified to them, while the deceased was taken to the Connaught Hospital for autopsy examination.
He explained that on Tuesday, 28 June, 2016 he was present at the hospital when consultant pathologist, Dr. Simon Owizz Koroma, conducted a postmortem examination on the remains of the deceased.
He said that at the conclusion of the postmortem examination, the original death certificate was giving to the complainant, while a photocopy was given to the police investigation team.
He said on Thursday, 30 June, he and DPC Quee O.P. interviewed the accused, while they duplicated the file and sent it to the Law Officers Department for legal advice.
He continued that on 8 August, 2016 Head of Crime M.B. Kamara instructed that the accused be charged with the offence of murder.
In his ruling, Dr. Binneh-Kamara stated that the prosecution called two witnesses to prove the case against the accused person, and that the latter adduced a prima facie evidence to warrant the accused person’s committal to the High Court.
“I have gone through the evidence in this matter and I am satisfied that the accused person has a case to answer with regards the offence she has been charged with. I therefore commit this matter to the High Court for further trial,” he ruled.