By Francis H. Murray
Government’s Chief Pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, the 13th prosecution witness in the murder trial of Mariama Sajor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah for the alleged murder of 5-year old Khadija Saccoh has testified before Justice John Bosco Allieu and a twelve- member jury at the High Court in Freetown.
Led in evidence by Lawyer Joseph A. K Sesay on Thursday 25th February 2021, the witness described himself as a medical doctor attached to the Connaught Hospital as the Chief Government Pathologist.
He said some of his duties include the training of medical students, the Sierra Leone Police Scientific Offices and performs all hospital and medical autopsies for the government.
Dr. Owizz said he remembered doing autopsy on the remains of Khadija Madinatu Saccoh and prepared his findings into a five-page document which he signed and dated, adding that he issued the original cause of death certificate to the relatives of the deceased as required by international standards.
He noted that a copy was given to the investigating officers while another copy was left in his office.
The witness said that, because autopsies are conducted to ascertain the precise cause, mode or manner in which people die, he was able to identify the cause of death of the deceased.
“The deceased died as a result of neurogenic shock resulting from manual strangulation. Her tongue was beaten and had a swollen neck with finger nail marks on either sides. The primary signs of virginity were absent with dilated anus. Her death was brutal, unnatural and mode or manner was homicidal,” he stated.
He further noted that although he had received a medical history from relatives of the deceased which was issued by a certain doctor, such history did not influence his findings.
He maintained that he has been a medical doctor for 42 years and a Pathologist for over 30 years with over 1,000 autopsies conducted already.
Under cross-examination by lawyer Alhaji M Kamara for the 1st accused, the witness denied demanding any sum of money from the relatives of the deceased in order to get the autopsy done.
He said that the family of the relatives told him that the deceased was fist attended to by a certain doctor who diagnosed her of pneumonia, but that his autopsy found no sign of pneumonia on the remains of the deceased.
The witness stressed that there were no signs of any medical treatment admitted on the deceased before the autopsy and that she died as a result of being manually strangled.
Under cross-examination by lawyer Emmanuel T. Koroma for the 2nd accused, the witness said that he was told that the victim was raped and sexually assaulted before the autopsy.
He said that during the course of the autopsy, the whole body was examined as part of best practice including the lips and fingers.
Agreeing that there are extremities with manual strangulation, he stressed that it was only limited to the use of hands, adding that he could not tell who may have inflicted the said injuries on the deceased and when.
Dr. Owizz’ testimony brought to an end the case for the prosecution, with both accused persons opting to testify from the witness stand on oath as well as call witnesses in their defence.
The matter was adjourned to Monday 1st March 2021.
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