By Jeneba A Conteh
Abigail Kargbo Dumbuya, wife of late Samuel Abubakarr Kargbo, personal bodyguard to First Lady Fatima Bio, on Friday testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No 1, on the alleged murder of her husband.
Led in evidence by ASP Ibrahim Mansaray, the witness recognised the first accused, Mohamed Samura, as her neighbour and the second accused, Mohamed Lamin through the first accused.
She further that the deceased was her husband and recalled on Monday, February 27, 2023.
She said prior to the murder of her husband, on Sunday, 26 February 2023, she was at home at night watching movie together with her children when the first accused entered the sitting room and asked about the whereabouts of the deceased.
She said the deceased’s daughter went inside the room and called on her father who was already asleep, adding that when the deceased came outside the room the first accused asked him to accompany him somewhere to collect money.
She said the deceased stepped outside the house and followed him and entered into his car and switched it on.
She testified that the first accused, who was inside his own apartment house, rushed outside and told the deceased not to use his car.
She further that the first accused went inside his house again and stayed there for ten to twenty minutes, adding that the deceased followed him into his residence and enquired as to whether the first accused was ready for them to leave.
She said they used the first accused’s vehicle and left.
Madam Dumbuya said around 3 in the morning when she didn’t see her husband she started calling him on her cell phone, but he didn’t respond.
She said she kept calling him until 7 am and that she decided to take the children to school.
She said on her way by Congo Cross, she saw one Uncle Swizzy, her neighbour, whose name her daughter shouted and said hello to him.
The witness said in the afternoon she was at home taking care of her four-month- old child when a friend of the first accused entered the compound, moved to the first accused’s apartment and broke the door.
She said she called the first accused on his phone and asked him about her husband, and that the accused replied that they were not together.
She said by 2pm, a certain brother and a sister of the first accused went to her residence trying to tell her something, but that they were scared and went away.
She said around 4pm, a friend of the deceased went to her and put her on video asking her to explain how her husband left the house at night, adding that after explaining to him, he informed her that the deceased had passed away.
She said they went to 34 Military hospital where she was shown a document bearing her husband’s name and age, and that they later told her that her husband had passed away.
She told the court that she later made statement at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters in Freetown.
During cross examination by defense Counsel, Madiue Bah on behalf of the first accused, the witness said they have been peacefully living together with the first accused at the same compound for three years.
She also said that when her husband and the first accused were living the compound that night it was the first accused’s car they used.
She said she knew T. Boy as their landlord and that they have good relationship.
She confirmed that she was surprised to know that it was T. Boy who sent the first accused and the deceased to collect money.
She also confirmed that before the incident she had not seen T. Boy neither knew where he was.
Lawyers representing the second and third accused didn’t cross examine the witness, saying that their clients names were not mention by the witness during her testimony.
The prosecutor,ASP Ibrahim Mansaray, sought for a date that the exhibit clerk will testify.
They were remanded again and the matter comes up on 18 April, 2023.
The accused Mohamed Samura, Mohamed Lamin and Hardy Momodu Evetyl Jabbie were arraigned before the court on two count charges of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to a crime contrary to law and murder contrary to law.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused February 27,2023, at Woodland Estate in Freetown, the accused conspired together and murdered Samuel Abubakarr Kargbo.
