A class three pupil has testified in a murder case in which her grandmother Isha Saidu Hughes had been allegedly killed by Sulaiman Conteh, a man who is the kid’s grandfather and a brother to the deceased.
The accused, Sulaiman Conteh had been charged to court for allegedly killing his sister, Isha Saidu Hughes on Friday, July 14, 2023, at No. 6A Savage Street at Wellington in Freetown.
In continuation of her evidence in chief, she said she recognized the deceased, Isha Saidu Hughes as her grandmother and the accused as her grandfather.
She recalled that on the day in question, she and her brother, Prince John Kamara of the same address were in the parlor while the deceased was in her bedroom when the accused came and knocked on the door to the deceased’s room. She further said that shortly after she heard the deceased shouting from inside the deceased’s room.
She told the court that while this was happening the accused held an iron with which he slapped the deceased.
The second prosecution witness said the deceased then went into the bathroom and the accused person pursued her into the bathroom. She added that at that point she then went to sleep but when she woke up, the deceased was nowhere to be found.
She said that she and her brother searched for the key to the house in a bid to open the room of the deceased which at that time was close. She added that later she met one Mummy Fatmata and another person Zainab outside from whom they enquired about the whereabouts of the deceased.
The Second prosecution witness said that at this point, Madam Fatmata called upon some relatives, including the deceased’s husband, whose name was not mentioned, who came to the scene and tried to open the door but failed.
She said they called a carpenter, to break the door for them to able to gain entry into the house and when that was done they saw the accused who had already stabbed himself lying in a pool of blood.
She said that both the accused and the deceased were taken outside, but since then she has not set eyes on them.
In conclusion, she said that she made the statement at the Kissy Police Station in Freetown.
Formal witness, Detective Police Constable (DPC) 17845 Mohamed Koroma who is attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Kissy Police Station in Freetown where the matter had been reported initially, was the next person who testified in the the proceedings progressed.
He informed the court that he recognized the accused and the person who reported the matter at the Kissy Police Station.
He recalled that on Friday, July 14, 2023, while he was on duty at the said Police Station he received information from Detective Sergeant 10227 Kamara from the Approved School Police Post upon which he, the Scene of Crime officer (SOCO) Detective Sergeant 10751, and a team of police officers left for the crime scene at No. 6A Savage Street in Wellington Freetown.
DPC Koroma said that when they arrived there he saw the accused lying in the parlor with multiple wounds from which he was bleeding.
He said he also saw blood on the floor leading to the bathroom and subsequently saw the deceased, Isha Saidu Hughes lying naked with multiple wounds on her body.
At the crime scene, he discovered a hammer, a knife, and another sharp metal object. The witness said he then called the deceased thrice and shook her body, but she was motionless and unresponsive.
Detective Koroma then said that the Scene of Crime Officer then took photographs of the crime scene and the accused was taken to the Emergency Hospital Goderich in Freetown for treatment while the corpse of the deceased was taken to the Connaught Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
He informed the court that he had handed the items he discovered at the crime scene over to the Exhibit Officer at the Kissy Police Station.
He added that on the 15th of July 2023, he obtained statements from the complainant and witnesses.
On the 24th of July 2023 he said in his presence together with the Scene of Crime Officer he witnessed a postmortem examination which was conducted on the remains of the deceased, and the cause of death certificate which was prepared after that examination was handed over to him.
He then produced and tendered it to form part of the court’s records, and further informed the court that on the 25th of July 2024 himself and DPC 20102 Bangura Y.S. obtained a voluntary caution statement from the accused at the Kingtom Police Station.
He also produced and tendered the accused’s voluntary caution statement to form part of the court’s records.
He said on 11th August 2023 he and DPC 18009 Sandy M.S charged the accused with the offence of murder.
The accused’s charge statement was also tendered in evidence.
Though the accused was not legally represented, Magistrate Kekura accorded him the opportunity to cross-examine the witness.
The accused in reply told the court that he had no questions for the witnesses.
Magistrate Kekura denied the accused bail and sent him to the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
Thanks so much, but this is a stalled news now. It had been reported on various mediums. The accused had already admitted to the allegation during the subsequent hearing. The brother of the said witness had also testified together with the exhibit clerk.
We’re only awaiting today’s hearing for the P.I. to be committed to High Court