By Mamajah Jalloh
In a high-profile murder trial, Musa M. Sewa, Monday 27th January 2025, was committed to High Court by Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 for alleged murder of 21-year-old Massah Massaquoi.
Whilst committing the matter to High Court, Magistrate Bangura stated that the prosecution conducted preliminary investigation and they have provided sufficient evidence against the accused by calling five witnesses, including the formal witness, factual witness, exhibit clerk and the scene of crime officer, who tendered various exhibits respectively.
Magistrate Bangura maintained that his duty is to examine the evidence adduced before the court; and if the prosecution establishes sufficient evidence against the accused, the matter would be committed to the High Court for trials; but if there is not sufficient evidence, the accused would 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 said he is convinced that the prosecution has established sufficient evidence against the accused person 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 is a preliminary investigation.
Testifying earlier 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 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 later conveyed her remains to 34 military mortuary in Freetown, where he identified her remains.
“On 23 September 2024, I witnessed the autopsy examination conducted on the remains of the deceased by doctor Semeon Owizz Koroma at the Connaught mortuary. During the process, Doctor 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 us, 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the magistrate court on two counts of murder contrary to Section 1 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1816 as repealed and replaced by Section 1 of the schedule of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021, Act No 6 of 2022, and Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm.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 the 19th August 2024 in Makeni, murdered Massah Massaquoi after she was allegedly assaulted.
Magistrate Bangura refused bail and sent the accused to the Male correctional Centre in Freetown until the commencement of the matter at High Court.
