Brother says deceased was found in a toilet
August 11, 2015 Hawa Amara
Issa Samura, younger brother of the deceased Marie Samura, who was allegedly murdered by her husband Gibril Fofanah,a lecturer at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET) few weeks ago, yesterday told the court that the deceased was found in the toilet with wound on her face.
Samura, while testifying at the Freetown Magistrates’ Courts No.1, presided over by Magistrate Mohamed Serray-Wurie, said on 12 June, 2015 he was at his work place at the Pademba Road Magistrates’ Courts when he received a telephone call from the accused that the victim had fallen into the toilet.
“Upon hearing that I took transport to the deceased and accused house at No.20 Kumba Lane, Gbendebu village, Goderich where I met the accused standing in front of his veranda. I asked him what have gone wrong and he(accused) replied that he was tired with the deceased and that I should take her from the toilet and bring her to our family house,” the witness told the court.
The witness stated that when he entered the toilet he saw the deceased lying on the floor naked with wound on her face. He said when he enquired with the accused as to why he did not assist the deceased when she fell into the toilet, he (accused) retorted that he would married another woman if she died.
Samura said he subsequently informed their elder brother, Inspector Karim Samura about the condition of their sister and that the latter visited the accused and urged him to take the deceased to the hospital, adding that she was then taken to the 34 military hospital where she was given first aid treatment.
The witness continues that on 14 June, 2015 his wife, Jariatu Samura, who is the third prosecution witness, went to the house of the accused. “I later followed her and I learnt that the deceased has already passed away. Our elder brother, Inspector Karim Samura was informed about the deceased death; later the body was taken to Connaught Hospital,” said the witness.
The witness added that he made a statement to the police on 15 June, 2015 and on 18 June, 2015 was invited to witness a postmortem examination on the remains of the deceased, after which corpse was handed over to the family for proper burial.
The accused, Gibril Fofanah, was arraigned on one count of murder contrary law.
According to the particulars of offence, the prosecutor says on 14 June, 2015 he murdered the deceased, Marie Samura, at Gbendebu Village, Goderich in Freetown.
The matter continues on 12 August.