Sierra Leone Police in Kambia District arrested Lamin Kargbo and three other people for killing twenty-six cows that belonged to Wurie Sow.

First prosecution witness in the on-going preliminary investigation into allegation of the killing of twenty cows, on Wednesday 28th July 2021, testified before Magistrate Sahr Kekura against one Lamin Kargbo and three others who were yesterday arraigned in court with regards the allegation.

According to the police, Lamin Kargbo and three others allegedly killed twenty cows belonging to one Wurie Sow. The accused persons were charged with stealing cattle, killing cattle, and arrangement to kill cattle.

Led by State Counsel Yusif Isaac Sesay, the witness, Sulaiman Bah, said between 10th December and 16 January 2021, he was in the bush with others watching the cows when the accused persons came and threatened to kill the cattle if they don’t leave that area.

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He said they immediately went and informed the complainant Mohamed Wurie Sowe who went to the scene, put modalities in place and returned to the village. The witness further told the court that after the complainant had gone, the accused surfaced in the bush with the same threat.

He said in January 2021, three cattle got missing from their ranch and on suspecting that, they informed the complainant who rushed to the village to ascertain about what he was told.

“Complainant gave us instructions to search for the three missing cattle and during the process we discovered two areas flowing with blood”, the witness said. He said after sometimes they decided to take the cattle out to eat grass and noticed a total of twenty-seven cattle missing.

“My Lord the accused stated openly to us in Krio that ‘If u dreb Fulla man e nor go, na for kill e cow Dem”, the witness explained.

In continuation of his testimony, the witness said whatever cattle they saw in the bush will be determined as bush cattle and will not hesitate to kill it. He confirmed that the missing cattle were killed by all four accused persons in the dock and the said act was done exactly where they threatened to do it.

Upon reaching that point, defense counsel W. C. Loba objected to the witness testimony on the ground that his clients are in court for conspiracy and not for cattle murder.

The witness said after all the above happenings, their master accompanied them to go and make a statement at Kambia Police Station.

Answering to questions in cross examination by defense counsel W. C Loba, the witness confirmed that they saw the blood and horns of the cattle at the side of the accused persons.

He said the accused persons were in collaboration with other people whose names he could not recall. The witness in another question directed to him that a bullet was removed from the stomach of one of the dead cattle.

At the end of the cross examination, magistrate Sahr Kekura adjourned the matter to 4th August, 2021. All accused persons have been placed on bail.