By Saio Marrah
Three men accused of murdering Samuel Abubakarr Kargbo at Woodland Estate in Freetown have been freed of all charges with Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Freetown Court No.1 citing insufficient evidence.
32-year-old Mohamed Samura- first accused, Mohamed Lamin Dumbuya (30) second accused and third accused Hardy Momodu Evelyn Jabbie (30) walked out as free men after the magistrate said in his judgment on Tuesday 25 April 2023 that the prosecution failed to present enough evidence to the court on the two count charges of conspiracy and murder levied against the accused.
He said according to the evidence presented to the court by prosecution witnesses on events of the night of 26 February 2023 leading to the death of Kargbo, the victim and the first accused went to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Freetown to collect money on behalf of one Simeon Robin. When they arrived at the hotel, Kargbo climbed down the vehicle to collect the money, leaving the first accused inside.
The first accused later went to prosecution witness one (PW1) to inform him of what had happened. According to the evidence, PW.1 said he received a call from one security personnel at the woodland estate stating he saw the deceased lying on the floor when he was taken to the 34 military hospitals.
The second accused, who was arrested in Kambia on the 27th of February in relation to the matter, said in his testimony that on the night of the 26th of February, he was attending the Saint Edwards Secondary School Thanksgiving after which he dropped off his colleagues. He then later went to Wilberforce, before leaving for Kambia the following day.
The third accused who was living at Kaloko Drive in Freetown presented himself to the police after a search was conducted in his apartment. The third accused was asked to follow the police to the CID headquarters where he was detained.
The case of the defence was that the third accused was only asked by the deceased to accompany him to the person that was to give him the money and that he had no idea of who the people were and where the money was to be collected.
Magistrate Ngegba, therefore, noted that the prosecution failed to prove that the first accused that accompanied the deceased was at the place where he was killed.
The Law Officers Department had advised that there was no sufficient evidence in relation to the case.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (03/05/23)
