By Elizabeth Kamara
Journalist Joseph Mendel Lamin, popularly known as “Manager Dust,” along with motorbike rider Morlia Kamara and driver Umaru Timbo, have appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown.
They are facing two charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as amended by the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021.
The prosecution alleges that on January 15, 2025, at Voice of Peace and Development (VOPAD) Radio Station in Kissi Town, Waterloo, the accused conspired to murder journalist Samuel Brima Mattia.
Detective Inspector Abubakarr Kargbo, a police officer attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Kingtom Police Barracks, testified in court.
He recalled that on January 17, 2025, while on duty with Inspector Paul A. Markew, they received the transferred case file detailing the murder investigation.
The file included witness statements, a voluntary caution statement from the first accused, and key exhibits including a yellow plastic bucket containing a liquid suspected to be human blood, four metal weightlifting irons, two sticks, an electric cable and a large white rice bag allegedly used to wrap the victim’s body.
Detective Kargbo further revealed that forensic analysts examined the suspected blood sample, with the forensic report tendered in court as Exhibit A.
On January 20, 2025, the first accused was taken to CID headquarters for further questioning by Inspector Conteh. The court has adjourned the case to March 17, 2025, for continued proceedings
