SIERRA LEONEAN 'DRUG DEALER' KILLED IN ESCAPE BID

A detective and a warder inspect the body of Sierra Leonean national Abdul Koroma after he was shot dead yesterday as he attempted to escape from the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, where he was facing drug trafficking charges.  PHOTO | VENANCE NESTORY 

By Alex Bitekeye,The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. A Sierra Leonean national identified as Abdul Koroma was shot dead yesterday as he attempted to escape from the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Koroma, 33, who was facing drug trafficking charges, was shot by a warder as he attempted to climb over a fence after bolting out of the court building.

Eyewitnesses told The Citizen that the accused was earlier brought to the court from remand and locked up in the holding cells.

As he was waiting for his case to be mentioned, Koroma asked to be allowed to relieve himself, but made a dash for freedom after jumping over the toilet wall. The warder who escorted him to the toilet fired two warning shots in the air, but the accused did not stop.  The main gate was hurriedly closed, prompting Koroma, who was dressed in a grey T-shirt, red shorts and white trainers, to attempt to climb over a steel fence.

One of the warders who gave chase grabbed Koroma by the leg before he could jump over the fence, but the accused was too strong for him.  It was at this point that a warder shot the escapee, killing him on the spot.

As curious onlookers gathered, Koroma’s lifeless body dangled from atop the fence, with his T-shirt and shorts caught on the steel spikes.  It was eventually brought down and put on a stretcher before police officers and warders took it to the Muhimbili National Hospital mortuary.

The head of Anti-Narcotics Unit, Mr Godfrey Nzowa, said it appeared Koroma’s attempt to escape was not spontaneous and that it had been carefully planned.

But Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) Executive Director Helen Kijo-Bisimba condemned his killing as “rash and uncalled for.”

She accused warders and police of laxity which gave Koroma an opportunity to attempt to escape.

“If they were careful, he would not have had the chance to escape and they would not have had to kill him.  Even if they had to shoot him, they were not supposed to shoot to kill,” Dr Kijo-Bisimba said.

She added that from a human rights point of view, it would have been better to have left the accused to escape and find him later instead of killing him.

Dr Kijo-Bisimba said she would be in a position to comment further upon getting all the details of the incident.

Koroma was arrested at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on December 4, 2013 while allegedly in possession of about 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine with a street value of Sh61.4 million.

Mr Nzowa told The Citizen  that Koroma was arrested upon his arrival from Brazil aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight after arousing the suspicion of security personnel. An X-ray scan revealed that he had a large amount of cocaine in his stomach.

CREDIT SOURCE: THE CITIZEN