By Francis H. Murray
The trial of Alpha Yayah Kanu alias Y2K and nine others for the alleged murder of Mohamed Kallon alias Mende Boy has continued before Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Freetown.
Led in evidence by State prosecutor Lawyer Jesse S. Tucker on Thursday 18th March 2021, the 2nd prosecution witness detective Police Sergeant 11640 J. Thalokota Conteh told the court that he is attached to the Adonkia Police station as scene of crime officer with some of his duties comprising visit to crime scenes and taking photographs for physical evidence.
He recognized all accused persons and recalled that he was on duty on the 5th of April 2020 when he was asked by detective Sergeant 3002 Kangbai T. to accompany him to an alleged scene of crime at Baw Baw village.
He said that upon the request, himself and other officers left the station for Baw Baw village and upon arrival, met the village headman Issa and others who took them to the scene at the No 2 River village where he discovered a damaged makeshift structure where the alleged incident leading to the death of Kallon happened.
“At the scene, a grave was identified by one Marcus who informed us that the remains of the deceased were buried there. We dug the said grave together with some community members and discovered the remains of Mende Boy,’’ adding that he took photos of the said scene and later printed them into pictures.
He maintained that they left the scene and returned to the station and later returned to the scene of crime with the forensic pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma who exhumed the remains of the deceased with photographs taken during the process before the body was moved to the Connaught hospital mortuary.
The witness went on to note that on the 7th April 2020, he and D. Sergeant Kangbai witnessed the autopsy on the remains of the deceased of which he also took photographs and later printed them out.
Under cross examination by Lawyer Cecilia Tucker from Legal Aid, the witness said that all he did during the course of the investigations was to take photos of the crime scene and the autopsy exercise, adding that the pictures were not printed immediately printed.
The matter was adjourned to 25th March 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (19/03/21)
