Six Remanded in Custody for Alleged Gang Murder

The systems and Data Analyst at the Cyber Crime Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, Detective Sergeant 6890 Lebbie Sahr Fofay on Wednesday 5th February 2025 tendered evidence before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No. 1 following the death of one James Conteh alias James Okeke.

It could be recalled that Hassan Kamara alias ‘shine face’, Fatmata Turay, Brima Kamara, Brima Tarawally, Abubakarr Kamara and Samuel Turay were arraigned before the Court for an alleged murder.

All six accused were charged on two counts of Conspiracy and murder contrary to Law.

On count one, the particulars of offence alleged that all six accused persons on 1st March 2024, at Ascension Town Cemetery Freetown, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to with murder.

Count two which is murder contrary to Section 1 of the offence Against the Person Act 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the Schedule of the Abolition of the death penalty Act 2021 Act No.6 of 2022, alleged that all six accused persons on the above date and place mentioned murdered one James Conteh alias James Okeke.

The Prosecutor Deputy Superintendent of Police Ibrahim S Mansaray led Detective Sergeant 6890 Lebbie Sahr Fofay in evidence. He started by explaining his duties which include; to examine, transfer, analyse and extract digital evidences from electronics devices.

He recalled on Wednesday 13th March, 2024, whiles on duty together with Detective Inspector Mohamed Jusu received correspondent together with one Techno Spark 10c mobile phone from Detective Inspector A.E Conteh attached to the CID Central Police Station for forensic analysis and transcription of the videos.

He furthered that on receipt of request on the said mobile phone, it was examined by himself as found to be in good working order and thereby the x98 action was done to know the subscriber sim number of 072028459, adding that the owner proves to be one Chernor Kamara.

The videos in the phone in question were transferred to the office dell laptop computer and was properly examined and then transferred to a pen drive preserved and satisfied as confidential material, he said.

He added that the videos were also reduced a report and signed as the analyst, while Inspector Mohamed Jusu signed as witness, adding that the said phone was handed over again to Inspector A.E Conteh for safe custody and since then the report and pen drive has been in his custody.

At this stage the witness was about to tender the report and pen drive when Lawyer Kofi representing the accused persons objected on the grounds that the phone must be in Court and videos played, as he proper foundation which has not been laid.

In reply the Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim.S Mansaray said, that has been done via the 5th witness who tendered the videos earlier and informed the court that the phone had got missing. He said the pen drive was further displayed and the defence did not object to it but allowed same with cross examination done from start to finish.

However Magistrate Kekura in his ruling discountenance the objection of the defence. The pen drive and the report were tendered as exhibit to form part of the court records.

Defense counsel Kofie deferred his cross examination to the next adjourned date Meanwhile Magistrate Kekura refused bail and sent the accused persons to the Male and Female Correctional Facility in Freetown.

The matter was adjoined to February 11th for further bearing.