‘Blood stain discovered at crime scene’
August 21, 2015 By Hawa Amara
Detective Police Constable 5857 Abdul Sama Kamara has told the Magistrate Court the crime scene where rape and murder victim, Fatmata Tarawally, was discovered had red stain suspected to be blood.
The accused, Sorie Conteh, was arraigned at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1 on two counts of murder and rape, contrary to law.
Detective Constable Kamara, who is attached to the Scientific Support Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department, told the court that on 28 June, he received a called from a crime officer at the Mountain Police Division requesting him to visit a crime scene at Regent.
He said he and one DPC 12103, the Local Unit Commander and Ebola burial team visited Regent, where an unfinished house was identified to them.
He said he used his digital camera to take photos of the building, the basement, and that on the left corner of the basement was a red stain suspected to be blood, and few yards from the basement was a pile of sand with shoe mark impression. He said five yards from that point the deceased laid naked on a red stain suspected to be blood, which he took photos of.
The witness continued that the body was handed over to the Ebola team which conveyed it to the Connaught Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination.
Detective Kamara stated that on 11 July, he revisited the crime scene again and met the caretaker of the unfinished building, one Abu Bakarr Thoronka, who had with him some items, including a black head tie, assorted beads, brown pant and silver colour tray, which the latter handed over to him. He said he returned to the office and developed and printed the photos and kept them in his custody.
Also, investigation officer, Detective Sergeant 1513 Mohamed Dauda Kabba of the Homicide Syndicate at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters, told the court that on 23 July, the case file containing partial statement from the accused person, one old, black underwear, a black head tie, assorted beads, brown pant and silver coloured tray were brought from the Mountain Police Division and handed over to him for further investigation.
Detective Sergeant Kabba told the court that on 24 July, he interrogated the accused and that the latter confessed to have murdered the deceased, Fatmata Tarawally. He added that on 29 July, he and a team of detectives, including Detective Inspector Kadie Samura, the Senior Crime Officer and the accused went to the crime scene at Regent.
The witness narrated that at the scene of crime the accused confessed to them that the deceased was carrying a tray of bananas for sale on that fateful day when he and one Saidu Fofanah, a fugitive, called her on the pretext of buying the bananas, before they later purposed love to her.
He told the court that on 10 August, he and DPC 8704 Turay I.B. took statement from the accused and charged him with the offence of murder and rape, while a charge statement was also obtained from him.
The accused is not represented by any counsel.
The matter was adjourned to 20 August for further hearing.