Abdul Alpha Turay, an SSS pupil of Saint Edwards Secondary School and Amara Sesay, a security guard were on Monday 3rd June 2024 sent on remand by Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No1.

They were standing for alleged murder of one Amara Mansaray.

The accused persons made their first appearance and were arraigned on two counts charges of conspiracy to murder contrary to section 4 of  the offenses against person Act 1861 and murder contrary to section 1 of the offences against the persons Act 1861 as repealed and replaced by section 1(a) to the schedule of the Abolition of the death penalty Act, 2021 Act No 6 of 2022.

According to the indictments, the accused persons on Wednesday 10th April 2024, at Coke Drive ,Off Regent Road,  Lumley Freetown conspired together and  with other persons unknown to murdered Amara Mansaray.

The police further alleged on count two that the accused persons on the same date and place murdered Amara Mansaray.

When the charges were read, no plea was taken.

The first prosecution witness Abdul Abdel Kargbo in his examination in chief led by Inspector Mabel Tarawally said he is a pupil and cousin to the deceased Amara Mansaray.

The witness recognized the accused persons and further recalled Wednesday 10th April 2024.

On the said date at around 5 am, the witness said he went to Sheriff drive junction where they usually seat together with the accused and the deceased and met the first accused there.

“Whilst we were there, I heard the first accused saying that he saw the deceased stealing two bunch of wood  and that he instructed him to take the wood back and that as he was about to do so  whenthe deceased closed the gate of the mosque and he shouted at the deceased ”theif theif,”, he said

According to the witness, the accused further told him that after he had shouted thief at the deceased, people came out and started beating the deceased but he ran later to the care taker of the mosque, adding that the care taker in turn pushed the deceased down.

Whilest  they were seating at the same junction, one of their friends  came and informed them that the deceased that the first accused beat  had died and so himself together with the first accused and others  left for the scene very close to the mosque at sheriff drive.

”On our arrival at the scene, I ran to call one of our relatives and we went back to the scene and that whilest we were there, a police van came and  and when the first accused and the caretaker saw the police, they ran together with the  others but were later arrested and taken to the Lumley police station where I made statements,” he narrated.

During cross examination of the witness by led counsel D Barrie for the first accused, the witness confirmed that all what he knew in respect of the matter was what he  was told by the first accused.

When asked whether he saw the accused beating the deceased prior to his death, the witness replied in the negative.

No question was asked on behalf of the second accused by lawyer Sigismund Conteh.

The matter was adjourned to Thursday 6th June 2024 for further hearing.