By Francis H. Murray
Dennis Holland, the 2nd accused in the on-going Klymax Fraternity murder trial, has testified before Justice Ivan Sesay at the High Court in Freetown.
In his evidence on Monday, the accused told the court that he was a student of Fourah Bay College studying Political Science between 2012 and 2016 and was an Associate Member of the fraternity, with the objective of helping and supporting their members in different situations.
He recalled that he was at his residence at Brookfields on the 13th of July 2018 and stayed there throughout the day. He also recalled receiving a text message on that day from a number that was not saved in his phone about a meeting at Gloucester Village. He said as a result of that message, he left his house at 12 midnight and proceeded to Gloucester to deliver a pair of snickers to the 4th accused, Mukeh Foh and he arrived there at about 1am on the 14th July.
He added that upon arrival at a house which he could not identify, he met at the entrance somebody he called the Peak Man, who is the head of the Klymax Fraternity on campus. He said the Peak Man told him that he (the 2nd accused) had arrived late for the program.
The 2nd Accused said he didn’t see any of his co-accused on that day but saw a man who stood by the Peak Man at the gate of the house where the program was hosted and inquired about him to the Peak Man, upon which he was told that the man was one of the new members.
He said when he further inquired about the other executive members; the Peak Man told him that they were inside the building wrapping up events and that he then advised the Peak Man that the new member needed some first aid treatment. He said: “the Peak Man assured me that that will be done. I then left the scene.”
He went on: ‘‘I was at the intersection of Gloucester, Regent and Tree Planting when I received a call from the Peak Man instructing me to dispatch an Okada (a motorcycle taxi) in his direction. I did that. While I stood there waiting for another bike to take me home, I saw the Peak Man and some of the executive members moving the new member to the Leicester health center.”
The 2nd Accused said he was made to understand that the medical officers at the clinic told the Peak Man and the others that the medical assistance needed was not available at the time, adding that he observed what was happening as they proceeded to the Macauley Street hospital where they were further referred to Connaught hospital.
‘‘I joined my colleagues to ensure that the young man got urgent treatment. On arrival, the doctor on call was attending to other patients while the new member lay on a stretcher right at the entrance to his office,’’ he added.
He said while he waited for the doctor to come out of his office to attend to the new member, some of the executive members were filling out the necessary medical forms and that the doctor emerged about an hour later and examined the new member and found out that he had died.
“Phone calls were made and by the time the police arrived, I was the only member left in the hospital. I was then arrested and taken to the Central Police Station. I did not have any physical contact with the deceased,” he said.
The 2nd Accused said he made statements at the Central Police Station and the Criminal Investigations Department where he denied all murder allegations put to him, adding that he did not agree with anyone to inflict injury on the deceased person but that he was aware of a get-together on the day of the incident.
State Prosecutor Jessie Tucker did not proceed to cross-examine the witness. He pleaded with the judge for the matter to be adjourned to give him time to prepare. The hearing continues on the 21st of July 2020.
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