By Richmond B. Tholley
The Presiding Magistrate of the Mile 91 Magistrate Court, His Worship Harold Kamara, has on Monday, 10th of November 2025, committed Ibrahim Abdalaha Conteh to the Court of Sierra Leone for murdering his neighbour, Pa Amidu, in Kumrabai Matuku village, Kholifa Mabang, in the North-east region.
According to the Particulars of Offence, on September 13th, 2025, Conteh allegedly cut off Pa Amidu’s head and buried him on his farm. Because of the indictable nature of the offence, the court conducted a committal proceeding against the accused person.
In that regard, the prosecution was required to adduce sufficient evidence that should establish a prima facie case to be answered by Conteh in order for him to be committed to the High Court to stand trial. The prosecution tendered the written statement of ten witnesses, among whom Conteh in prison cross-examined, and the prosecution list of witnesses and their statements, including the accused, which they intend to rely on at the High Court.
The evidence of the first prosecution witness, Aminata Gbla, the daughter of the deceased, stated in her written statement (marked as Exhibit A1-A9) that Conteh had invited the deceased to assist him in scaring birds on his farm. When he did not return on the day of the incident, she reported the matter to the town chief, and a search party was organised.
During the search, she testified that the search party approached Conteh’s farm, where he obstructed their entry. A dog began digging, and they perceived a decomposing odour, leading to the discovery of a buried human body wearing the same clothes last seen on the deceased. Conteh fled the scene but was later apprehended.
The evidence of the third prosecution witness (marked as Exhibit D1-D3) stated that he was present when Conteh struck the deceased on the neck with a cutlass while the deceased was seated smoking. Conteh allegedly tied the deceased’s hands and feet, cut off his head, removed his eyes and nose, and buried the body on his farm.
The witness further testified that he ran to the village to report but was initially not taken seriously until the body was discovered. The evidence of the fourth witness, Alusine Koroma (tendered and marked as Exhibit E1-E3), corroborated that he was among the search team that discovered the decomposed body on Conteh’s farm.
Several other witnesses, including Amadu Sankoh, Mayillah Kamara, Moses Sankoh, James Peter, Abass Bangura, Alie Bangura, and Brima Koroma, provided consistent accounts of the discovery of the body on Conteh’s farm and his attempts to obstruct the search.
The prosecution also tendered exhibits, including the charge statement of the accused (marked as Exhibit 01-02), the State Counsel’s written advice, and photographs of the deceased’s body and the exhumation site.
In his ruling, Magistrate Kamara noted that the court is not required to determine guilt or innocence but to ascertain whether there’s sufficient prima facie evidence upon which a reasonable tribunal could convict Conteh if the evidence remains unchallenged at the High Court.
Magistrate Kamara ruled that the evidence implicated Conteh as the principal actor in the killing and that the discovery of the body on his farm, coupled with his attempts to obstruct the search, pointed to his culpability. The evidence disclosed sufficient grounds that a crime of murder had been committed, and Conteh may be responsible. Accordingly, Conteh is committed to the High Court to stand a murder trial and will be remanded at the Moyamba Correctional Centre unless bail is granted by the High Court.
