Tokeh Murder Case: Young Man Remanded Without Bail for Heinous Killing of 24-Year-Old

Tokeh Murder Case: Young Man Remanded Without Bail for Heinous Killing of 24-Year-Old

The courtroom was tense on Tuesday afternoon as Milton Charles Turay, a young man accused of a heinous murder, was remanded without bail, facing charges that could lead to life imprisonment or worse.

Turay appeared before Magistrate Fornah at Pademba Road Court No.2 in Freetown, facing a charge of murder. On the morning of August 9, 2025, at Grassfields in Tokeh, within the Western Area of Freetown, Turay allegedly took the life of James Koroma, aged 24.

The charge, read in court, accuses him of murder contrary to Section 1 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as amended by the recent abolition of the death penalty under the 2021 Act No.6 of 2022. No plea was entered by the defendant, as he was brought on a preliminary investigation.

The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conteh, presented a detailed account. Sergeant Edison Issa of the Criminal Investigation Department testified that on August 9, 2025, he was on duty at Adonkia Police Station when the complainant, Abu Turay father of the deceased arrived to report the murder. He immediately took charge of the investigation and secured the victim's body for postmortem at the 34 Military Hospital.

Sergeant Issa presented crucial evidence, including the complainant’s detailed statement and a witness statement from Alpha Tholley, which were instrumental in reconstructing the events. On August 11, 2025, Turay was apprehended, and a caution statement was obtained in Krio, later translated into English, and duly signed with his thumbprint.

The investigation also uncovered a key piece of evidence: a stainless steel knife, missing its handle, believed to be the murder weapon. The knife was marked as an exhibit and securely handed over to authorities for safekeeping. The forensic examination, conducted in the presence of Scene of Crime Officer DPC Johannes and Medical Examiner Dr. Owiz Koroma, confirmed the cause of death. The official postmortem certificate was tendered as evidence.

Based on the collected evidence, including the accused’s own statement and the recovered knife, Turay was formally charged with murder on September 10, 2025. The prosecution emphasized the strength of the chain of evidence and the gravity of the crime.

After hearing the testimony, Magistrate Fornah refused bail, citing the seriousness of the offense and the need to uphold justice. The case has been adjourned to October 6, 2025, for further proceedings.