By Fodei Musa Jaward
Panic and shock have gripped the community of Kobanka village, Ribbi Chiefdom, in Moyamba District, following the alleged murder of a 37-year-old blacksmith and farmer, Alie Kamara.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred at midnight when Kamara was spending the night with one of his wives in Lilihammer, a section of Kobanka village.
The accused, 23-year-old Sullay Kabia, nephew of the deceased, is alleged to have stalked his uncle before the attack. According to local sources, Kamara’s wife recalled hearing her husband’s voice as he stepped outside to use the restroom during the night.
It was not until 6:21 a.m. the following morning that his lifeless body was discovered, with severe injuries, including stab wounds and a slashed neck.
The brutal murder has left the small farming community in distress, as it is reported that the two had been involved in heated arguments in the days leading up to the incident.
Tensions between the uncle and nephew allegedly escalated over accusations of theft, with Kamara accusing Kabia of repeatedly stealing cucumbers and groundnuts from his farm. Kabia denied these allegations, and the tension worsened when he accused Kamara of withholding half of NLe200 sent to him, claiming he only received NLe100.
Despite fleeing the scene after the murder, Kabia was apprehended by local authorities and is currently being held at Bradford Police Station for further investigation.
No postmortem has been conducted as of yet, and the body of Alie Kamara has not been released to his family for burial.