Ballistic Expert on Palo’s Wife Trial Forensic report & findings of a 40 live rounds ammunition tendered in court

By Feima Sesay

The Forensic Ballistic Expert, Detective Inspector Joseph Abu Bakarr Sanu has on Wednesday, 2nd September, 2020 tendered in Court the forensic report and findings of the 40 live rounds ammunition and other assorted items allegedly found at the resident of Isata Saccoh fiancé to Paolo Conteh.

 Before magistrate Hannah Bonnie, the expert with ten years experience led in evidence by state counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay said on 8th May 2020, he was on duty at the scientific support unit CID HQ, when Sergeant 8904 Solomon Amadu handed over to him certain items for forensic examination. He said, he took possession of the said items and conducted a forensic analysis on the said specimen and upon completion of his examination; he reduced the findings into a report dated 11th May 2020 and signed by together with four other experts.

The said report was produced and tendered in court as exhibit.

Inspector Sanu in his further testimony said he received 40 live rounds of ammunition, empty magazine,  1 black Gluck 17 plastic casing and a written request asking for a Ballistic examination on the said items.

The witness continues that during the process he physically examined the items to know whether they are conventional or locally made.

He said during the examination, they metered the forensic of each of the ammunition to know whether they have not pass through any fire arms and that they are primarily intact.

He confirmed them to be primarily intact.

“We examine the ammunition further to know which fire arms that can chamber the 40 live rounds, they have hallow pointed jacket bullet and that the magazine can host 13 rounds”, the witness narrates findings.

Inspector Sanu in conclusion said during the findings they discovered that the 40 ammunition can be fired by any caliber of fire arms, emphasizing that it can host 13 live rounds of 1.45 inches of ammunition that can feed any fire arms conventionally, and that the said casing houses the Gluck 17 pistol.

During cross examination by lawyer Wara Serry Kamal said all what he did was to examine the items, stating that cartridges are different from bullets.

Prior to his testimony, Detective Police Sergeant 8904 Solomon Amadu attached to the Major Incident Unit CID HQ had testified that on the 8th May 2020 whiles on duty detective Inspector Alimamy Kamara handed over to him 2 small pack each containing live rounds of ammunition, a black pouch containing 1 empty pistol magazine, 1 fire arm locker with two keys with assorted Gluck 17 safety action manual.

He said upon receipt of these said items together with a written request for examination, he handed over them to Inspector Sanu at the Ballistic unit.

The witness was then showed the aforementioned items for identification and he identified them accordingly.

He was cross examined by lawyer Wara Serry Kamal defense counsel for the accused.

During the process he said all what he did was to hand over the exhibit to the Ballistic Expert and that because he was not part of the investigation, he could not tell when the search was conducted at the accused Isata Saccoh resident.

The matter was adjourned to the 16 September 2020 for further hearing while the accused bail continued.

However, it could be recalled that the accused Isata Saccoh was arraigned in court on three counts charges of conspiracy, Unlawful Possession of ammunition and other related offence.

According to the indictments, the police alleged that the accused on 29 April 2020 at 11 Berewa Drive Hill station was found in possession of small arms and ammunition without license.