Deceased Neck And Right Leg Were Broken, Witness Testified

The first prosecution witness Moses Sellu Tucker told Magistrate Isata Conteh of the Pademba Road Court No.2 that, he discovered that the neck and right leg of his brother’s son, Steven Kanu (Deceased), was broken.

The witness said he recognized the deceased as his brother’s son and also recognized the accused persons, John Sesay, Abubakarr Yamba, and Noel Smart as neighbors.

He recalled that, on Saturday, July 2nd, 2022, he was at his residence when a lady who he could not recall went to him screaming and informing him about the incident.

He narrated that upon receipt of the information, he left for the crime of scene at Kamayama Lumley in Freetown, adding that upon his arrival at the scene, he saw the deceased lying on the floor and that he called his name three times but he could not respond.

“After the deceased failed to respond, I went close to him and I noticed that the deceased neck and right leg were broken.
I later rushed to the Lumley Police Division and reported the matter”, he testified.

He continued that, after the report, he and a team of police officers from the aforesaid division visited the crime scene, and upon their arrival, the officers took photographs of the deceased and they eventually conveyed the corps to the Connaught Mortuary for autopsy.

The witness further testified that on July 13th2022, he witness the postmortem that was conducted on the remains of the deceased at the said mortuary, which was done by Doctor Simeon Owizz Koroma, adding that upon conclusion of the autopsy, the cause of death certificate was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.

The witness concluded that after the postmortem, he made the statement at the Lumley Police Division.

After his testimony, defense Counsel M.S. Bangura told the court that since he came late, he applied for the matter to be adjoined for him to cross-examine the witness on the next adjoined date, an appeal that was granted by Magistrate Sellu Tucker.

The accused person was remanded at the Male Correctional Center on Pademba Road in Freetown and the matter was adjoined to Tuesday 11th October 2022 for further hearing.

The accused was before the court on two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and murder contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged that the accused persons on Saturday, July 2nd, 2022 at Kamayama, Regent Road in Freetown, conspire with unknown persons to commit a felony, to wit murder.

The charge sheet further stated that the accused persons on the same date place murdered Steven Kanu.
The matter was prosecuted by Sub Inspector A.T. Bangura.