By Mustapha Sesay and Jenneh Briama
A funeral service for one Emanuel Edmond was yesterday disrupted at the St. John Maroon Church along Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown, when, according to eye witnesses, mourners attending the service pounced on a man for allegedly carrying a “witch gun” with the intention of harming the deceased’s sister.
According to Reverend Tommy Demby of the St John Maroon Church, they were assembled in the church awaiting the remains of the deceased when they identified a man by the name of Kebbi “carrying a strange bag”, which they searched. He said they “found a lot of strange-looking objects made out of traditional items including cowries and black and white threads which we believe were charms”.
Rev. Demby said the situation “provoked accusations and counter accusations from family members” which attracted people in the immediate vicinity to the church premises. “We had no alternatives but to call in the police who arrested the strange man and the wife of the deceased”.
The Rev said the service continued and the late man’s body was later buried.
Eye witness who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity alleged that “ownership of the property of the deceased was at the heart of the troubles that led to the strange man appearing in church”.
Meanwhile police have dismissed rumours that the late man’s wife was taken into custody on suspicion of murdering her husband. They say she was being held for her own safety.
