Uroy Joseph Murder Trial: Jury Shown Bloodstained Pipe Linked to Arthur James Case

A bloodstained metal pipe and photographs of a vehicle reduced to a burnt-out shell were among the evidence presented to jurors Thursday as the murder trial of Uroy Joseph continued in the High Court.

Joseph is accused of assisting in the murder of Arthur James, whose burnt remains were discovered in bushes in Freetown in October 2021 following an overnight search led by his partner, Lily Schofield, the mother of his youngest child.

Joseph was originally charged alongside his cousins, Zamir and Obasic Ogarro. Both men have since died. Zamir was alleged to have been involved in James’s killing.

Sergeant Chapman of the Forensic Evidence Recovery Unit took the witness stand and presented crime scene photographs after being accepted by the court as an expert in crime scene photography.

Among the images shown to the jury were photographs from the Liberta properties linked to Joseph and Zamir Ogarro, including the exterior and interior of rooms, white markings on a pavement, the burnt vehicle and its number plate.

Photographs also showed a metal pipe found wedged inside a zinc fence in the yard, with what appeared to be small drops of blood.

The court heard that Joseph identified the pipe as the weapon allegedly used to beat James and also showed police the area where James had reportedly been lying.

Under cross-examination by defence attorney Lawrence Daniels, Chapman confirmed that the photographs at the Liberta property were taken on October 30, 2021, and that Joseph was not present when officers first photographed the area.

Daniels pointed out that police officers had already been at the property for approximately an hour before Joseph arrived. Chapman confirmed that Joseph later pointed out the pipe in the fence, while Zamir Ogarro had not pointed anything out to officers during the earlier period.

Chapman said the area where James had allegedly been lying was photographed as part of his documentation of the entire property.

The jury also heard from Constable Sean Jacobs, who was stationed at the Liberta Police Station at the time. Jacobs testified that he arrested Joseph, but clarified that Joseph had actually turned himself in.

Joseph was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, although he was never charged with that offence.

Constable Kenroy Beazer also testified that he participated in the police interview with Joseph and recorded it.

CCTV evidence was another focus of Thursday's proceedings.

ASP Logan Joseph, who was in charge of the police cyber lab in October 2021, told the court that he downloaded footage from a Ring camera belonging to a Liberta resident.

However, under cross-examination, ASP Joseph acknowledged that he had never watched the footage and could not say what it contained. He also could not recall the date of the footage, had not visited the location where it was recorded and did not know how many cameras had provided the material.

When questioned by jurors, he said he did not know whether anyone else had viewed the footage.

Despite being asked whether, given his uncertainty about the material, he could have mistakenly downloaded unrelated footage, ASP Joseph said no.

Investigating officer Corporal Amethyst George of the Serious Crimes Unit later told the court that she had reviewed the footage.

According to George, the footage showed Joseph and one of the deceased men at Joseph's home, apparently attempting to move James's vehicle.

George also read a forensic statement into evidence indicating that blood found on the recovered pipe matched the burnt body.

DNA testing, using a comparison with James's daughter, was also presented as confirming that the remains were those of Arthur James.

The trial is expected to continue with more than 30 witnesses scheduled to testify.

The case began on Wednesday with the empanelling of a jury comprising three women and six men.

Director of Public Prosecutions Clement Antonio is leading the Crown's case, while Lawrence Daniels is representing Joseph.

The allegations against Joseph remain before the court, and the trial is ongoing.