OSD Officer faces murder charge
Alpha Bash Osman Kamara, 35, an Operations Support Division (OSD) officer has been charged with the murder of Jusu Sannoh.
The accused is before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown, on a preliminary investigation into the allegation. According to the court file, the accused person, on Monday 1st of January 2023 at New London Kossoh Town, in Freetown murdered Jusu Sannoh.
Testifying under oath, a school pupil, Gabriel Sabondo, recalled that on New Year’s ever, he met the deceased and asked him if he was going to attend church service on the eve of New Year. Sabondo testified before the Court that Sannoh told him that he was going to pray later on, together with his wife.
Sabondo further testified that before long, he saw the deceased and his brother using abusive language, adding that he encouraged them to stop. But the prosecution witness told the Court that the deceased refused to listen, instead, he replied to the insult that was being rained on him. Sabondo also revealed that he heard the accused saying he had bitterness for the deceased.
Following the exchanges, the accused and the deceased got into a fight. The witness told the Court that he heard the deceased shouting that the accused had hit him on his chest and he was holding a gun in his hand. “I heard the accused saying, the deceased will henceforth stop doing business where he does business”.
The witness also told the Court that he heard the accused saying he would kill the deceased and that the deceased could not do anything to him.
“After these exchanges, the accused cocked his gun and shot at the right foot of the deceased and blood started oozing from the gunshot wound. We ran for our lives when the accused cocked the gun, but we heard the deceased was shouting, he has killed me,” he explained to the Court.
He further testified that the accused person shot the deceased on his back and when the deceased fell on the ground, the accused climbed in his chest.
The accused tried in vain to escape the crime scene, for he was apprehended by the youth of the community. Sabondo noted that the deceased was taken to his father’s house and later to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. The witness made a statement at the Jui Police Station.
At the end of the testimony, the accused cross-examined the witness, for he was not represented by a lawyer.
At the end of the testimony and cross-examination, Magistrate Kekura remanded the accused and he adjourned the matter to the 27th of February 2024 for further hearing.
