Musa M. Sewa was on Monday 27th January, 2025 committed to the Siaka Stevens Street High Court by Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 for alleged murder of 21 years old Massah Massaquoi.

While committing the matter to the High Court, Magistrate Bangura stated that the prosecution conducted preliminary investigation and provided sufficient evidences against the accused by calling five witnesses including the formal witness, factual witness, the exhibit clerk and the scene of crime officer who tendered various exhibits respectively.

Magistrate Bangura added that his duty is to examine the evidence adduced before the court and if the prosecution establishes sufficient evidence against the accused, the matter will be committed to the High Court for trials, but if there is no sufficient evidence, the accused will be discharged pursuant to section 118 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.

He disclosed that looking at the evidence in its entirety including the statements of the accused made to the police that he relied on, he was convinced that the prosecution established sufficient evidence against the accused person for him to stand trial at the high court.

At the Magistrate Court, the accused did not take any plea when the charge was read and explained to him because it was a preliminary investigation.

Early testifying in court, Lahai Maada Massaquoi, father of the deceased said the deceased was living with her mother, but one Friday night he saw the deceased at Wilberforce.

He added that during that night, he gave transport fare to the deceased for her to go home which she did.

He further explained that after one month, on Monday 19th August, 2024 her elder sister, Elizabeth Jaward called and informed him that her daughter has died and they later conveyed her remains to 34 Military Hospital mortuary in Freetown where he identified her remains.

“On 23rd September 2024, I witnessed the autopsy examination conducted on the remains of the deceased by Doctor Simeon Owizz Koroma at the Connaught Hospital mortuary. During the process, Dr. Koroma told us that the neck, right hand and right foot were broken as a result of physical assault. At the end, the cause of death certificate was handed over to them including the remains for burial,” he testified.

The accused was before the magistrate court on two counts of murder contrary to Section 1 of the Offences against the Persons Act 1816 as repealed and replaced by section 1 of the schedule of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021, Act No.6 of 2022 and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

According to the charge sheet, the accused on 19th August, 2024 in Makeni murdered Massah Massaquoi after she was allegedly assaulted.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail and sent the accused to the male correctional centre in Freetown until the commencement of the matter at High Court.