By FeimaSesay
Mohamed Harun Conteh (17 year old), a Providence school pupil alleged of killing his teacher Gillis Edward Ola Johnson was on Wednesday 2nd August 2023, sent to the high court for further trial by magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No1.
Prior to his committal, the defense lawyer Emmanuel Teddy Koroma in his no case submission said the burden is essential. The prosecutor proved that the said killing took place and with malice which according to him, the prosecution failed to establish a case against the accused even though it was established that someone died and that a killing took place but didn’t show who committed the said act- killing. Therefore, he said the 17 year old Mohamed HarunConteh has no case to answer.
None of the witnesses he said ever testified they saw the person who committed the offense.The prosecution he said is relying on circumstantial evidence such which he further submitted is before the court. The facts before the court he said are very remote to be committed to the high court as it will be waste of resources to further sit on such a case.
The Prosecutor UmuSumaray in his reply said the prosecution met all the elements. From the inception of the case, she said she had intimidated the court that all the evidence she had are circumstantial referencing the case if Baimba Foray alias LAC in 2016.The case before the court she said is like a twisted bow where everything points to the accused. She said she had established from the start of the matter that the accused at the time of the incident was resident in Sierra Leone and the act committed with a year and a day.
Malice aforethought she submitted does not necessarily mean someone is required not to like another. She added that with the cause of death report by the Pathologist which said…hence an indication of malice aforethought.Throughout the trial, she said none of the 9 prosecution witnesses except the accused in his statement to the police mentioned that the teacher was stabbed multiple times before he could make his way to safety. All of the witnesses she said pointed at the accused as the only person who was seen at the residence of the accused on the day when the deceased died.
No evidence she said has ever been in court that the four attackers claimed by the accused were ever seen around the vicinity of the deceased 68 year old teacher. She pointed out that there are inconsistencies in the story of the accused she termed as preposterous when the accused told the police that he was attacked by four men that murdered his teacher.”If his story doesn’t make sense, then it’s not true” Madam Suma Ray concluded.Magistrate Ngegba having listened to both sides said there is sufficient circumstantial evidence with elements of fact to be proven by a jury at the high court.In the circumstance committed, the matter was sent to the high court for further trial without bail.
Meanwhile, the accused Mohamed Haroun Conteh was arraigned during preliminary investigation on one count charge of murder contrary to law.The police alleged that the accused on Saturday 11 March 2023, at Victoria Street Freetown murder Gillis Edward Ola Johnson.
