Thanks to Mr Gary Shultz and Rev. Kabs-Kanu for making us re-visit this era!
{Originally posted in FACEBOOK by Rev Kabs-Kanu.}
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Wilfred Leroy Kabs-Kanu
THE TRIAL OF THE CENTURY NO. 1 ?
FOR MY FELLOW OLDTIMERS LIKE ISRAEL PARPER, ANTHONY KAMARA , etc.
Again, I bring my readers another interesting story from the 1966 and 1967 newspapers given to me by the legendary Peace Corps and historian, Gary Schulze. I am posting two of the biggest legal cases we had in Sierra Leone 50 years ago. This is for the benefit of many of our present day journalists, social activists and social media commentators who were not born yet when these events occurred.
The events in question pertain to the murders of the police Superintendent, Mr. Cyril Grant and the POW fifth former, Louis Farmer.. Americans regard the O.J Simpson trial as the trial of the century. Were these two cases the trials of the century in Sierra Leone ?
For you the youngsters, Mr. Grant was killed by a Gambian diamond dealer , Lansana Kuruballay, while being led to a ship at the PORTS to be deported .
Louis Farmer, on the other hand, was murdered by some students after an athletics meeting at Brookfields Stadium.
They were among the biggest legal cases we ever had in Sierra Leone. They captivated the nation like the O.J.Simpson trial in America.. The only two other big trials I can remember were the Alimamy Khazali Ritual Murder case and the Mohamed Sorie Fornah and 14 others Treason trial.
What do you say ?
Israel Ojekeh Parper Snr
Brother Kanu, you have "hit me for six". I have just last week explained the Farmer Case to a friend of mine. I remember Kuruballay's case very well and in later years made acquaintance with Grant's family members here in London. [But they don't even know I know this case as I have NEVER spoken about it with them]. Grant used to ride a Big Motor Bike and was a fearful police Officer. Kuruballay hit him with an iron bar and killed him. This was a BIG CASE INDEED.
Farmer was stabbed to death and one of those involved ran away to Liberia and later became prominent in the RUF as a leading member. One of the ORIGINALS who trained in Lybia with Gadaffi. Still lives in Sierra Leone - (who know e know!) One man who suffered jail under the 'joint enterprise rule' even though he did not plunge the knife (saved by Pa Sheki who ordered a release)
Is a very changed gentleman and churchman now I here in London with his family. Thanks so much for this history; and thanks to Gary for enabling/availing us the opportunity to revisit them. WOW!!
Kabba Kamara
Both incidents happened when I was attending kindergarten school at Wilberforce village ( Mammy Esther's School ) . When I went to secondary school and especially when there was the annual inter secondary schools athletes sports meet at the then recreation ground , my mother always reminds me and warns me to be careful .
Talking about the other schoolboy who stabbed Palmer and escaped to Liberia....... is non other than Eldred Collins who later turned RUF spokesman
Thank you Reverend Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-kanu for your constant historical reminders.
Israel Ojekeh Parper Snr
Kabba Kamara; Enti na yu sabi fur kull name? Ar sey, "ou no, e no"! The murdered boy was Farmer. That evening, my band, "The Queenesters" were to play at Ratcliffe Restaurant and Night club, where later IBTI Bank was pitched. That stabbing caused the show to start late and the whole night
was dominated by that news. It was a sad weekend. I lived at Sanders Street then not far from Brookfields Stadium ( (RECKREY).
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Wilfred Leroy Kabs-Kanu
Trial of the Century 2
Here on the right hand side is the Daily Mail report on the other murder case I spoke about in my first post- the murder of the Prince of Wales School fifth former, Louis Farmer.
As I said in my first post, these cases captivated the whole nation , like the O.J. Simpson trial in the USA.
Farmer was a famous sportsman , loved and admired by everybody and as you can see from his photo he was a very handsome young man, and well dressed .
The trial of the schoolboys who allegedly killed him and the trial of Lansana Kuruballay, who murdered the police office I mentioned in my first post , were the biggest trials of their kind in Sierra Leone. The only two other trials that probably supplanted them were the Alimamy Khazali Ritual murder case in 1974 and the treason trial of Mohamed Sorie Fornah and 14 others in 1975.
What do you say ?
Israel Ojekeh Parper Snr
The GENET CASE AS WELL MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN! Insurance money for killing daughter!
Wilfred Leroy Kabs-Kanu
I do remember hearing about that case, but my memory is fuzzy now.
Israel Ojekeh Parper Snr
I have lost the origin of the fighting story, but as far as I recall, the whole fighting thing started the week before at Kroo Town Road Dwazak hall area and what resulted in the killing was a kind of retaliation and strong 'gang' show off; don't think anyone was contemplating stabbing or death, but that was the end result. SAD for Louis Farmer and family though!
