By Mohamed T. Massaquoi
Security officials in the southern Sierra Leonean district of Pujehun are investigating the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of a tourist.
The body of the deceased, identified through documents found on him as a German national named Erwin Schbel, was found in a vehicle he was traveling in along the Zimmi – Kenema highway.
Zimmi is the chiefdom headquarters town of Makpele Chiefdom. The vehicle, a self-contained truck camper, was found stuck in mud on the only route that connects Zimmi to neighbouring Kenema district. The 53 miles long route is rarely used by motorists due to its deplorable state. The vehicle was apparently traveling from the direction of Kenema towards Zimmi.
Police said the body was initially discovered on September 2 by villagers who had noticed the vehicle had stayed at the same point for days. They added that a swarm of flies around the vehicle heightened the suspicion among the passing villagers of Pewa Village who immediately alerted their town chief, Chief Feika Mustapha Kawa, who then called the attention of the Police.
The vehicle was reportedly found stuck at a point on the road which the locals say is constantly flooded in the rainy season.
Detective Assistance Superintendence of Police (ASP) Guy Patrick Chico Lansana-Bussu, Crime Officer attached to the Mano River Division of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), told Politico that upon police visit to the scene, which is located some four miles from Zimmi, they discovered that the vehicle with European Union registration number LBEL-303, was locked. He said his men only tried to access the body upon an instruction from the Southern Region Assistance Inspector General of Police.
“At the request of the Regional Police South, an ambulance dispatched from Pujehun district headquarters town arrived at the scene and conveyed the corpse to Freetown for further investigation and autopsy examination,” he stated.
“The body was almost in its decomposed state because the vehicle got stuck for over one week before it was discovered,” he added in a telephone interview.
The vehicle was also towed to the Zimmi police station by a truck owned by the Senegalese construction company, CSE, on the request of the police.
Politico later learnt that the body has since been taken into the Connaught Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
According to the police, autopsy examination has been delayed due to bureaucracy. They said the pathologist were waiting on the conclusion of discussion with the German Government on the matter.
ASP Lansana-Bussu said they were investigating both the cause of death and the deceased’s mission into the country.
The truck incorporates a small dwelling room, a dining room, a kitchen, a bar, and a toilet facility. Outside, on one of its sides, a motor bike was tied to the truck.
According to the police, an assortment of food and non-food items were also discovered aboard the vehicle, including some alcoholic drinks found in the bar. They said all the items were taken to the Zimmi Police Station for recording and safe keeping.
The police was investigating the matter in collaboration with the Office of National Security (OMS), whose district representative, Usman Andrew Fornah, told Politico that further investigation has revealed some rounds of ammunition were also discovered in the vehicle.
"The police have been able to discover rounds of animations and they are also searching the vehicle for pistol," said Fornah.
Detective Lansana-Bussu said they were trying to establish, among other things, whether there was another person onboard the vehicle before it got stuck.
The investigation has since been handed over to the regional CID headquarters in Bo.
© 2019 Politico Online
