By Francis H. Murray
Detective Sergeant 10745 Joy Mariama Kargbo, attached to the Criminal Investigations Department, Lumley policy station has testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba in the ongoing preliminary investigations into alleged murder of a five year-old girl.
The fourth prosecution witness recognized both accused persons and recalled that on 17th June 2020, she was on duty at the station when one Emmanuel Lahai arrived and reported the death of Kadija in the custody of the 1st accused on behalf of Abubakarr Saccoh, father of the deceased who is currently living in America.
She said upon receipt of the report, the matter was later allocated to her for investigation and on the same day a statement was obtained from the complainant who told her that the body of the deceased had been taken to the Colombia Davies funeral home.
The witness went on to say that on the 20th June 2020, together with Detective Inspector Jimmy Kanji, Detective Sergeant 7542 Fatmata Koroma, and two relatives of the deceased, she went to the Colombia Davies funeral home to see the corpse and take photographs of it.
She added that upon their arrival at the funeral home, they were prevented from seeing the corpse but she then requested for an autopsy to be conducted on Kadija’s remains.
She explained that on the 20th June 2020, Detective Police Constable Johannes, herself and some relatives of the deceased witnessed the autopsy that was conducted by the government pathologist Dr. Simeon Owiz Koroma after which the cause of death certificate was handed over to her.
“Upon receipt of the course of death certificate, I arrested the 1st accused who by then was with us at the Connaught mortuary and I took her to the Lumley police station. On the same day, the investigating team visited the alleged scene of crime at No.25 Spur road and whilst there, I arrested the 2nd accused upon information received from Isata J. Kabba and he was taken to the station where they were interviewed.’’
The investigator said that on the 21st June 2020, her team also arrested Agnes and Alex and they were later taken to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department with the 1st and 2nd accused persons for further investigations.
Under cross-examined by Lawyer Alhaji M. Kamara who represents the 1st accused, the witness said the report was made on behalf of the father of the deceased who resides in the USA and that she only saw the remains of the deceased at the Connaught mortuary.
Answering to questions from lawyer I.S.Y Kamara on behalf of the 2nd accused, the witness said she was not the only one who investigated the matter but there was a team of investigators and that charges were preferred by the Police in consultations with the Law Officers Department.
The prosecution alleges that the accused persons: Mariama Sajor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah on Monday 1st April 2020, and on diverse dates in June, conspired together with other persons unknown to murder Kadijah Saccoh.
The matter was adjourned to Friday 4th September, 2020.
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