By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Saidu Kargbo, the brother of the slain Alpha Kargbo alias Wandada has explained to a Magistrate court in Freetown how his elder brother met his death at Hastings after he demanded that Saidu’s phone seized by the Police be returned.
Alimamy Foday Yillah from the Operational Support Division (OSD) of the Police made his fourth appearance in court accused of pulling the trigger that led to Kargbo’s death.
The deceased’s younger brother, the first witness to testify during the trial on Wednesday 15 September 2021, said he had gone to take a look at a land that was being contested by his brother and a woman Police Inspector, Rebecca Bisodu Douglas and met a group of OSD officers there.
He alleged he was manhandled, arrested and his phone confiscated by the accused after telling the officers that the land in question belonged to their family. Minutes later his brother arrived at the site. Saidu told the court that his brother showed up and he was released moments later but noticed that his phone had not been returned to him. An argument then ensued for the said phone and it was during the exchange of words that Yillah shot his elder brother.
Mohamed Kargbo, the lead investigator in the case said he was on duty on the 17th April 2021 when a shooting incident was reported at around 1500 hours.
The investigator said that he went together with Detective Superintendent M.K. Allieu and other officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to the crime scene. He said that they discovered empty bullet shells an AK47 rifle with two magazines. He maintained that the said items were handed over to the Ballistics Department of the Police for examination.
He said on Friday, the 30th April 2021, at the Connaught Hospital Mortuary an autopsy was done on the remains of Kargbo by Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, a pathologist, who then submitted a cause of death certificate to him. He stated that a copy of the same certificate was also issued to the deceased’s family.
The officer disclosed that it was on the 31st May 2021 with the help of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Osman Borbor Kamara that he charged Yillah for the offence of murder.
During cross examination, defence lawyer C. Campbell was confused over the charges alluding that the officer failed to state the name of the deceased while the charges were done. The officer insisted that the name of the deceased was mentioned in the voluntary cautioned statement. Campbell also proposed to the witness that the deceased went to the alleged scene of crime with many youths but the officer denied receiving such a statement. The lawyer also put it to the officer that Saidu had stated his brother made an attempt to forcefully retrieve the phone from the accused but the officer said he never recorded such a statement.
The lawyer again claimed the ballistic examination request form made by the investigators also stated it was an accidental discharge from the rifle that killed Kargbo, a claim the officer disputed. The matter was adjourned to the 21st September 2021.
Kargbo after being shot by Yillah was rteken to hospital but was pronounced dead, few hours later. The incident sparked a day long violent unrest by Hastings youths. Four officers including Inspector Douglas accused of involvement in the incident were all dismissed from service. Yilla is charged with murder.
Copyright © Politico Online (17/09/21)
