By Yusufu S. Bangura
After a long investigation by the police, alleged murderer of Providence International High School teacher, Mohamed Haroun Conteh, a pupil of the same school, has on Tuesday 23rd May, finally been charged to court.
The accused made his first appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No.1 for allegedly murdering his teacher.
State prosecutor, Umu Sumaray, alleged that the accused on Saturday 11th March, 2023, at 54 Victoria Street in Freetown, murdered 68-year-old Gillis Edward Ola Johnson.
In his testimony, first prosecution witness, Detective Sergeant 9546 Ahmed Conteh, informed the court that he was attached to the Scientific Support Unit at Central Police Division.
The witness said he recalled on the date in question when Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lahai Marah instructed him to visit the scene of crime at No. 54 Victoria Street, adding that after the instruction from his boss he headed to the said scene and upon arrival he met ASP Marah and other Police Officers at the scene.
He said when he arrived at the scene, he observed that the scene where the incident occurred was a dwelling house, stating that he saw a male lying on the floor in a pool of blood and a cut on his throat, and that he saw two blue and two red pens on his throat.
He told the court that he took six photographs of the remains of the deceased by using his digital camera, while the remains were later conveyed to the Connaught Hospital Mortuary, adding that he developed those photos and later printed them into pictures.
The said pictures were produced and tendered in court to form part of the evidence.
After the testimony of the witness, Defense Counsel A.G Kamanda requested for an adjourned date for the substantive Counsel, Emmanuel T. Koroma, who was absent, to cross examine the witness.
However, Magistrate Ngegba remanded the accused to the Male Correctional Centre at Pademba Road and adjourned the matter to Tuesday 30th May, 2023.
