𝐁𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲
Mohamed Haroun Conteh, a Senior Secondary School (SSS) Pupil at the Providence International High School will today (1st November, 2023) make his first appearance at the High Court, before Justice Monfred Momoh Sesay, a Court of Appeal Judge sitting as a High Court Judge in the alleged murder matter between the State versus him.
The accused Mohamed Haroun Conteh was committed to the High Court for trial after a Preliminary Investigation (PI) conducted by the Principal Magistrate Marke Ngegba, at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 in Freetown; on grounds that, there is sufficient circumstantial evidence and with elements of fact to be proven by a jury at the High Court.
According to the charge sheet that was read at the Magistrate Court, the 17-year-old accused Mohamed Haroun Conteh on the 11th March 2023 at Victoria Street in Freetown Urban murdered Mr. Gillis Edward Ola Johnson, a 68-year-old male teacher at the said School situated at Back of Winners Chapel Church Sumaila Town.
At the Magistrate Court, senior State Counsel Umu Sumaray led nine witnesses, whose testimonies, according to Sumaray, pointed at the accused as the only person who was seen at the now deceased residence in Freetown.
Lawyer Emmanuel Teddy Koroma represented the accused at the Magistrate Court. He was denied bail by the Presiding Magistrate Marke Ngegba and was remanded at the Kingtom Juvenile male Dormitory Home in Freetown.
The accused will be arraigned at the High Court sitting on main Law Court Building on one count indictment of murder proffered by the State based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
