She told the court that she vividly recalled the incident of 13th March 2016 when the accused persons including her and other family members had a meeting at the residence of one Sani Sesay at Grafton in the outskirt of Freetown.

She said the purpose of the meeting was for Sani Sesay to prevail on the third accused, David Sesay to hand over a house book to the deceased.

According to her, the deceased did not attend the meeting because he was ill and that the said meeting ended up in chaos with the third accused who had promised to go with the book failed to do so.

“I was present when Sani Sesay requested for the house book that was  given to him by the deceased for safe custody from the third accused. He promised to hand over the house book after two months and another meeting was scheduled for Sunday in April 2016” she explained.

Safiatu Bangura further narrated that upon their return, they explained to the deceased, Patrick Bangura what had transpired between them, Sani Sesay and all accused persons and they were advised by Sani Sesay to maintain peace and order.

The witness went on to state that on 26th March 2016, they realized that the deceased went to work but did not return home and as a result the deceased wife Cecilia Bangura and some family members went in search of him at his work place and various parts in Freetown.

She further disclosed that the deceased was found dead in a latrine pit at his residence on 11 April 2016, by his mother in law, following which they alerted the police personnel who went at the alleged scene of crime, arrested the accused persons including some tenants for interrogation and later took charge of the house.

The witness also informed her audience that she later made statement to the police and when police search the apartment of the first accused, Demoh Bangura, five empty rice bags were found in her refrigerator with blood stain and human hair attached to it, including kerosene robber and chlorine.

Concluding, the witness stated that she was present when the government’s Consultant Pathologist, Dr. Semion Owiss Koroma conducted postmortem on the mortal remains and realized that the deceased pennies and finger nails were removed.

The second and third accused persons were defended by Lawyer Cecilia Taulker of the Legal Aid Board and Hon. Justice John Bosco Allieu adjourned the matter to Monday 23rd October 2017 for cross examination of the second prosecution witness.

All accused persons were whisked back to the maximum state detention centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.