Led in evidence by the lead police prosecution team, ASP Theresa Bangura, Detective Police Constable, Brima Turay testified that he is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department branch at the Central Police Station on Wallace Johnson Street in Freetown.
He told the court that he recognized the complainant, Wilfred Sawyer and the accused Hassan Deen Bangura, and recalled the incident of 2nd April 2018.
The witness further informed the court that on the aforementioned date, he was on duty at the Criminal Investigation Department branch at the Central Police Division, when Wilfred Sawyer arrested and brought in the accused person, and handed him over to him together with an old knife which the accused allegedly used to murder Alfred Gibson of Hanneson Street in Freetown.
Detective Police Constable Brima Turay narrated that himself, Detective Police Constable Koroma J. and the Crime Officer left the station for Connaught Hospital Mortuary, where the deceased had been taken for post-mortem examination, adding that on their arrival the remains of Alfred Gibson was identified to them by Wilfred Sawyer with the deceased drenched with blood with wounds on his chest.
“On the same day, the witness said statements were obtained from the complainant, Wilfred Saywer and the accused Hassan Deen Bangura and the accused validated his statement by affixing his right hand thumb print, which he also admitted to be true and correct.”
He further informed the court that on 3rd April 2018, the police sent a post-mortem request to the Government Pathologist and Forensic Expert, Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma to determine the cause of death of Alfred Gibson.
The witness went on to state that post-mortem examination was done on the remains of Alfred Gibson in his presence, the Crime Officer and Detective Police Constable Koroma J. and Death Certificate was later issued to the investigating officers and relatives of the deceased.
According to the witness, on 17 April 2018, he wrote a progress report and submitted the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution, Sulaiman Bah for his advice, stating that he was later advised by the Director of Public Prosecution to charge the matter to court.
On 4th May 2018, he continued, himself and Detective Sesay M. charged the accused, Hassan Deen Bangura (alias LA) with the offence of Murder, contrary to law.
At this juncture, Magistrate Santigie Bangura ordered that the accused be remanded at the country’s maximum detention centre in Freetown, due to the seriousness of the offence preferred against the accused person.
Accused Hassan Deen Bangura was represented by Lawyer M. Sesay. The matter comes up again on Monday 21st May, 2018.