OSD Officer Kills Brother

By Fatima Sesay

Santigie Kamara, an OSD officer, on Friday 14 March, 2025, was remanded in prison by  Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No.1 for allegedly shooting his elder brother to death with a gun. The accused, who made his first appearance, was arraigned on a count charge sheet of Murder contrary to section 1 of the Offence Against the Person Act 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1 (a) to the schedule of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021 Act No.6 of 2022 . According to the police, the accused on the 19th January 2025 at 555 Lorry Park, Waterloo in Freetown, murdered Francis Amara Kanneh. No plea was taken when the charges were read and explained to him by the court clerk. The First Prosecution Witness, Maseray Nallah, in her evidence in chief, said she is a business woman and also recognized the accused, in the dock, Santigie, adding that he and the deceased, Francis, are family friends. She added that the accused and the deceased were brothers. The witness recalled that on the 19th January 2025, she was in her shop selling, with the deceased sitting by her, when the accused entered the shop and requested that he wants energy drink. The witness furthered that she then requested that the accused should give him money for the drink, but he told her that he is going home, but will come back to the shop later. Base on that assurance, the witness said that the accused left her shop, with the deceased still sitting with her. She maintained that few minutes later, the accused entered the shop dressed in his OSD uniform and went to his brother, pointing at him that he came particularly for him. The witness added that during the process, the accused pointed his gun at the deceased and shot him three times, with the deceased immediately falling motionless on the ground. She said that blood was oozing from the body of the deceased, and that then raised an alrm, luring people to storm the shop. She furthered that in the nsuing confusion, some of her properties in the shop were stolen, and she had to be escorted out of the shop by her sister in an emotional state. Witness Nallah furthered that she later made statements at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Freetown, adding that the deceased was later buried at the Kankalay cemetery, Waterloo. The witness was cross-examined by Defense Counsel W. C Eloba. The accused was remanded in custody until 20 March, 2025 for continuation. Of hearing.