By Latrishka Thomas
Not long after two of the three men accused of kidnapping Arthur James were released on bail, they have been sent back to prison on a new charge of murder.
Brothers Zamir and Obasic O’Garro, along with their cousin Uroy Joseph, all of Liberta, were initially jointly charged with kidnapping in November 2021 following James’ disappearance.
James was last seen on October 28 last year. A missing person report was filed at Freetown Police Station by one of his family members two days later.
On October 30, human remains were found in a burnt-out car in bushes near Willoughby Bay.
A team of police officers and Defence Force members conducting searches in the St Phillip’s and Freetown areas also found a mobile phone believed to belong to James.
Just over a week ago a forensic analysis confirmed that the charred body was James.
So, while they were awaiting their committal hearing for kidnapping, the trio were slapped with a murder charge.
They appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards yesterday without legal counsel and were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison since a magistrate cannot grant bail for a charge of murder.
The trio can, however, try to obtain bail in the High Court before a judge.
The defendants will next appear in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court on June 15 for their committal hearing for both matters.