Police say body parts of victim identified by mother
January 24, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Investigating officer, Detective Police Sergeant 1499 Mitchell Kamanda, in the ongoing preliminary investigation into the Kono ritual murder, presided over by Dr. Abou Bhakarr Binneh Kamara, at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, yesterday testified that body parts of Fatmata Missah (the deceased) were identified to them by her mother
Komba Missah, Vandi Ansumana, Tamba Mohamed M’bawa, Komba Kamanda and Gbama Sessie were arraigned on two count charges of conspiracy to commit felony to wit murder and murder contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
Police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Kamara, alleged that all the accused persons on Friday, 2nd December, 2016 at Nemesedu Village in the Gbondu Section, Kamara Chiefdom in the Kono judicial district, eastern province of Sierra Leone, conspired with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit murder.
On count two, the prosecutor alleges that the accused persons on the same day and murdered the victim within the environs of the village.
Testifying yesterday in court, Sergeant Kamanda identified himself as Police Officer attached to the Criminal Investigation Department at the Motema Police Station in Kono.
He said that he recognised all the accused persons and recalled on 3rd December, 2016 when the Crime Officer of the Station, Detective Police Constable 9482 G. Kamara, received a telephone about a missing child.
He said upon receiving the information, he and a team of police officers, led by Detective Inspector A. Bunduka, left the station and went to Tombodu Police Post, where they saw body parts belonging to a young girl, without head.
He testified that the girl was identified to them as the deceased Fatmata Missah.
He further testified that they also met the 1st and 2nd accused persons at the Police Post, and that during the cause of investigations he obtained statement from the 1st and 5th accused persons, while they subsequently took the body parts to the Koidu Government Hospital.
He said that on 23rd December, 2016 he witnessed the autopsy examination on the remains of the young girl, conducted by Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, at the Koidu Government Hospital, and that upon conclusion, a photocopy of the autopsy examination was given to him for police use.
The matter was adjourned to 31st January, 2017.