State Pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma has told Justice Ivan Ansumana Sesay during a murder trial that the victim Mohamed Kallon was stabbed to death with a metallic object that resembled a knife.
The pathologist was testifying against Alpha Yayah Kanu and 10 others who are standing trial on at the High Court in Freetown on charges of conspiracy to commit a murder, murder, and burying a human body in a place other than a cemetery.
Dr. Koroma led in evidence by the prosecutor as the 6th witness recalled the 6th April 2020 when he received a request from the Freetown Coroner to visit Jeff Town via Number 2 River in the Western Rural District. He said that he acted on the request and went to the said place where he did an exhumation and inspection at a grave site.
Dr. Koroma said that he later performed an autopsy on the body of Kallon which was identified by one Marcus Kamara, a friend of the deceased.
The pathologist said the Police took him and his team to a site and exhumed the body from a shallow grave that was on the hills of Jeff Town and had it later transferred to the Connaught Hospital for a proper examination.
He said the post-mortem examination was also done in the presence of Investigative Officer, Detective Sergeant 3002 Kambai T.P. and the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) Detective Sergeant 11640 Conteh J.T both attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Division of Adonkia Police Station, Goderich.
The doctor confirmed his findings revealed Kallon was murdered at around 7:00 hours on the 4th April 2020 with a knife-like object.
He said that the internal examination showed Kallon sustained a three centimetre wound to the upper left chest which led to a collapse of one of his lungs and a lacerated heart. He said the stabbing also caused inflammation of the larynx.
Dr. Koroma further stated the stabbing pierced through the heart of Kallon which led to profuse bleeding and affirmed that the cause of death was acute haemorrhagic shock. He added that the victim died an unnatural death and was homicidal.
The doctor also told the court that the victim lost a total of eight pints of blood due to the stabbing.
He said photographs were taken during the exhumation and autopsy. The said photographs were presented in court. The cause of death certificate was also tendered in court.
After the evidence given by the pathologist, the prosecutor informed the judge that the doctor will be their final witness.
The indictment revealed that the men conspired and murdered Kallon early April last year. It also alleged that the men after killing Kallon buried his body in a shallow grave at Jeff Town, Baw-Baw in the Western Area Rural District of Sierra Leone.
According to the State Prosecutor, Jesse Tucker, the accused men appeared at a preliminary investigation at the Magistrate Court on the 17th July last year where they were told that they have a case to answer at the high court
Justice Sesay adjourned the matter for the 14th October this year to enable defence lawyer Cecilia Tucker begin her case.
Copyright © Politico Online 11/10/21
