In a significant development, Justice Monfred Sesay, presiding over the High Court of Sierra Leone, has made the decision to withdraw the charges of conspiracy to murder and murder against four accused individuals.
The accused parties, namely Mohamed Johnson, Aiah Kamba, Kalilu Fofanah, and Ishmael Charles, now await judgment as this high-profile case takes a new turn.
The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on April 19, 2021, in Koidu Town, Kono, where the accused individuals are said to have been involved in the tragic murder of a victim.
State prosecutor Aruna Jalloh, during the proceedings, presented a compelling case, featuring numerous witnesses, including the Government Pathologist, Dr. Owizz Koroma.
Dr. Koroma’s testimony indicated that the victim’s demise was indeed unnatural and resulted from a fatal stab wound.
Jalloh also informed the court that the first accused individual had confessed to the police that he was responsible for the fatal stabbing.
According to his account, the accused and his friends approached the victim, who was inside a car, and began hurling insults at him.
The victim pleaded with the accused group to step away from the vehicle so he could leave, but tragically, the first accused reportedly wielded a knife and stabbed the victim in the chest before fleeing the scene. The victim was rushed to Koidu Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Subsequently, the accused individuals were apprehended and brought before the court to face these grave charges.
However, Randi Bangura from the Legal Aid Board, representing the accused persons, contested the consistency of the evidence against them.
In a compelling argument, Bangura urged the jury to return with a verdict of “not guilty” for all the accused individuals.
This development has added another layer of complexity to a case that has garnered significant attention and underscores the importance of a thorough and fair judicial process in Sierra Leone’s legal system.
The fate of the accused individuals now lies in the hands of the court, as the public anxiously awaits the forthcoming judgment.
