By Yusufu S. Bangura
Abdul Kpaka(accused) & Sia Fatu Kamara(deceased)
During cross-examination by defense counsel Emmanuel Teddy Koroma in the ongoing murder trial of Abdul Kpaka, police investigator Andrew Nyaka Amara admitted that no witness directly linked the accused to the death of Sia Fatu Kamara.
Testifying in court, Amara stated that although the investigation relied on evidence such as a postmortem report and hospital outpatient records, none of those explicitly identified Kpaka as the person responsible for Sia’s death.
The investigator confirmed that on August 16, 2024, he and his team visited the Emergency Hospital but did not obtain statements from the nurses on that day. Statements from medical personnel were only collected after Kpaka was charged to court, between August and November.
Amara explained that the decision to charge Kpaka with murder before gathering statements from the nurses was based on “sufficient evidence” obtained during their initial inquiries, including the postmortem report. However, he admitted that neither the outpatient records nor the postmortem report implicated Kpaka in the alleged murder, as they only detailed the cause of Sia’s death.
When asked if a forensic examination was conducted on Sia’s body, Amara admitted it was not, nor was an investigation carried out at Sia’s residence, where her body was reportedly taken. He justified this by stating that such measures were deemed unnecessary at the time.
The investigator further revealed that photographs of Sia’s body, provided to him by Princess Wilson, manager of the Virtue Funeral Home, were not included in the case bundle. According to Amara, Wilson claimed the images were confidential and would be produced upon request.
Defense counsel Koroma criticized the omission, arguing that the photographs should have been part of the evidence bundle. Amara agreed but maintained that the investigation relied on a summary of findings in the medical report authored by Dr. Kallon (PW7), from whom no formal statement was obtained.
The defense also challenged the credibility of a request sent to Dr. Owizz for the postmortem examination. The request inaccurately stated that Sia had been “found lying dead,” a description the defense argued was misleading, as Sia was not discovered dead. Amara clarified that he was not the author of the document but stated it was prepared by his superior officer.
Amara admitted that Kpaka consistently denied the allegations throughout the investigation. Despite this, Kpaka was charged with murder, not obstruction of justice. The investigator stated he did not believe Kpaka’s denial, as it was his duty to investigate the matter further.
The court adjourned the trial to Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
