By Saio Marrah
Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No 1, Pademba Road in Freetown has remanded a former police officer in custody at the start of preliminary investigations into one count against Alimamy Fofanah. He is accused of killing one Yayah Jalloh at Bassa Town, Waterloo on 1st February, 2023.
The first prosecution witness told the court how between midnight and 1 a.m. on Wednesday 1st February 2023, her friend, now deceased asked her to go to a festival commonly called ‘Tangains’ held at Bassa Town field in Waterloo. She said on arrival at the gate, she met both the accused and the late Yayah Jalloh.
According to the witness the deceased bought her a ticket to enter the festival and then introduced the accused to her as his boss. She said the accused later bought food and drinks for her at the festival and noted that while this was happening she saw a gun by the side of the accused but she did not tell anyone about it.
The court heard that at about 3 a.m. the accused told the deceased to escort him to his house and the late man asked her to join them. The witness said that on their way the accused pulled out his gun and announced that he was going to shoot. She said they both begged the accused not to shoot, but insisted.
According to her, she had to hide behind the deceased for a while because she was frightened, but she later ran away to alert other people around. She told the court that while she was on her way to call for help she heard the sound of a gun. She said when they returned to the scene they found Yayah Jalloh lying on the ground in his own blood while the accused was nowhere to be found.
The witness said the late man was taken to hospital by the other people that accompanied her to the scene and that she was later told that Yayah had died while she was at the at the Waterloo Police station making a statement.
The case against 32 year old Alimamy Fofanah resumes on the 29th March this year.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (24/03/23)
