By Richmond B. Tholley
There have been speculations and suspicions since the dead body of a village teacher was discovered with wounds in a nearby bush in Kangama Gorama Chiefdom, Eastern Sierra Leone, on January 29, 2024.
Tamba Theophilus James, 50, was found dead in a nearby bush in Turbu village, where he was serving as a teacher at United Methodist Church (UMC) Primary School.
According to Mary James, daughter of the late teacher, his father mysteriously disappeared in the village on January 28th and wasn’t seen around, only to be found dead the following day.
Mr. James was discovered dead in the bush by a search party, but his family said they were not satisfied with the circumstances that led to the death of their relative.
“My father was healthy, and we were shocked to discover his dead body in a nearby bush in the village,” the daughter stated.
The family alleges they reported the matter to the police post in Kangama. Kangama is the administrative headquarters town of the Kangama Gorama chiefdom, and the town hosted the Kangama Police Post, where the family is alleged to have reported the matter.
But the daughter said the police ordered their father to be buried after a health worker in the community alleged the late man died a natural death and there was no foul play.
Mary James and the entire James family suspected there was foul play and urged for the matter to be investigated thoroughly.
This is because the family said the dead body of the deceased teacher was seen with blood, and there were semblances of a knife stab.
Though the family raised those concerns before the burial of their relative, Mary James said the chiefdom authorities and the police did not listen to them but went ahead and buried the late man.
After attempts to reach the police in Kangana proved fruitless, this reporter contacted the regional police spokesperson in the East for confirmation.
The spokesman, Prince Bernard Jegboi Kamara, said the matter was not to his knowledge but promised to cross-check for better clarification.
The family has lately informed this medium that they learned that the police at the Motema Police station arrested some individuals in the village in connection with the matter, though they say the police haven’t called them either for questioning or to further provide evidence.
The James family called on human rights defenders to look into the matter for justice to prevail.
The late teacher is a father of eleven.
