By Mohamed J Kargbo
Mohamed Arouni Conteh made another appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngeba of Court No:1 and was remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
The accused was charged to court on one count of murder contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged that the accused on Saturday, 11th March, 2023, at 54 Victoria Street in Freetown, allegedly murdered 68-year-old Gilis Ola Edward Johnson, former teacher of Providence International High School.
On Thursday, June 15, the prosecution brought in their fifth witness to testify in court, Detective Inspector Police constable Karim Vahguwa attached to the Homicide Unit at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters.
The witness recognised the accused person and recalled on the 11th March, 2023 when the accused was brought in for murder.
He said the accused was putting on black long trousers, no shirt on and was barefooted, with a deep cut on his hand which he sustained during the incident.
He also said worked with the Adelaide Street Police Station for additional report on the accused, so they had an abstract report of three witnesses.
He further testified that on the same day, himself and Detective Tamba Kassibama cautioned and questioned the accused and that they obtained statement from him and after the interview, the statement was read and explained to the accused, who affixed his left hand thumb print to it.
He said on the following day,12th March,2023, a team of police officers led by the crime scene officer, 19007 Campbell, went to the crime scene.
He said on their arrival, they search the house of the now deceased and found the living room ransacked with blood stain on the floor of the living room.
He said that they also found a White T- Shirt and under vest with blood stain and a bent knife with black handle.
He said they took photograph of the said items and placed them into an evidence bag and returned to the station.
He noted that on the 12th March, 2023, a team of investigators, himself and the accused, executed a search warrant at the residence of the accused person, and on the process they found an empty form with the inscription ‘Hoodie Rich Gang’.
He said at the conclusion, the search warrant was read and explained to the accused and that himself and his colleague endorsed it.
The said search warrant was produced and tendered in court.
He also said on the 14thMarch 2023, a team of police officers left for Waterloo Police Division in respect of a claim made by the accused person that on the day of the incident, he was kidnapped by one of the persons, who allegedly kill the deceased.
He said the accused had alleged that he was in a van together with 23 others, but that he made a narrow escape and went to the Aberdeen Police Station.
He concluded that at the end of their investigation the photocopy of the cause of death was handed to him whiles the original was handed to the family.
He said himself and detective 9007 Campbell witnessed the post mortem examination conducted on the remains of the deceased in the presence of the family.
The matter was adjourned to 21st June 2023, for further hearings.
