By Mohamed J. Kargbo
Emma Coker and Abdul Khe-Morlai made another court appearance on Friday, February 21, 2025, before Principal Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No.1 in Freetown.
The two accused persons were remanded in custody for allegedly beating a 22-year-old man to death.
Emma Coker and Abdul Khe-Morlai are facing two charges: conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to Section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, and murder, contrary to Section 1 of the same Act, as repealed and replaced by Section 1A of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act of 2021.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly conspired to commit murder on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at Bonga Lane in Freetown. It further states that both accused, on the same date and location, murdered Mohamed Conteh.
To advance the case, Police Prosecutor I.S. Mansaray led a witness to be cross-examined by Defense Counsel Lunseni.
Inspector Alusine Bob Conteh, attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), took the witness stand and recalled his previous testimony. He stated that he was part of the investigation team that visited the crime scene.
Inspector Conteh also confirmed that the accused persons were arrested on December 22, 2024. He added that he obtained their statements, which were then sent to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
He said on January 16, 2025, his team received legal advice from the DPP’s office, which was submitted to form part of the court records.
During cross-examination, the defense counsel questioned the witness about the statements made by the accused during the investigation. He asked if the accused had mentioned that unknown individuals had beaten the deceased, to which the witness responded that they had not.
The defense further inquired if the names of a woman named Sylvia and two other suspects, who are still at large, were mentioned in the investigation. Inspector Conteh confirmed that they were.
The defense counsel then halted his cross-examination and requested a shorter adjournment to re-examine the witness.
Given the seriousness of the case, Magistrate Kekura remanded both accused persons at the Male and Female Correctional Centers in Freetown.
The matter was adjourned to March 17, 2025, for further hearings.
