In a significant development in the Gloucester Village murder case, Fredrick Hanciles, the headman of Gloucester Village, took the witness stand yesterday before Magistrate Sahr Kekura.

Hanciles provided crucial testimony regarding the alleged murder of motorbike rider Alfred Jusu by the accused, Ibrahim Samura.

The incident in question occurred on May 5, 2024. Ibrahim Samura is being prosecuted under section 1(a) of the schedule to the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021, Act No. C of 2022, which has replaced the former charge under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.

Hanciles recounted his experience on May 25, 2024, when he was approached by a woman on a motorbike who reported seeing a motionless male lying near the first bridge in Gloucester Village.

Upon investigating, Hanciles identified the body as Alfred Jusu, a familiar figure in the community. Despite his efforts to gather information and his subsequent report to the ACON Police Station, initial inquiries yielded no leads. It was only later that Hanciles learned of Samura’s arrest in connection with the murder.

The accused, Ibrahim Samura, is currently without legal representation and remains remanded at the Male Correctional Center in Freetown. The court proceedings are set to continue with the next hearing scheduled for September 24, 2024.