By Janet A. Sesay
The accused Hawanatu Hawa Koroma, a trader, made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 over the alleged murder of her husband Nabieu Bangura by pouring fuel on him and setting him alight.
The accused was arraigned on one count charge of murder contrary to Section 1 of the offences against the persons Act 1816 as repealed and replaced by Section (1a) of the schedule of the abolition of the death penalty Act 2021, Act No 6 of 2022.
According to the charge sheet, the accused on Friday, 22 November 2024 at Back of Leicester Peak Junction, Hill Station in Freetown, murdered Nabieu Bangura.
During cross-examination, the witness, Saidu Bangura led in evidence by DSP Sorie Conteh said he is a trader and the deceased Nabieu Bangura was his younger brother. He recognized the accused as the wife of the deceased and further recalled Friday, 22 November 2024.
He testified that he was in Kamakwei when he received a telephone call from one Moses Kamara who gave him information that the deceased had been burnt. He furthered that upon receipt of the information, he came and met the deceased at the Connaught hospital and he asked him as to what transpired between him and the accused and the deceased told him that it was the accused that had light him up with fire and fuel. He said that he further asked the decease if they had any dispute and he replied to him that they had no dispute.
He explained further that the deceased explained to him that when he came home from work that fateful day, the accused attacked him with an accusation that he has a girlfriend, but that he replied to her that he has no girlfriend, but that the accused persisted with her accusation which caused him to leave their sleeping to sleep in the shop. The witnessed went on that the deceased told him that while he was sleeping in the shop room, he felt the accused pouring something on him and he got up and asked the accused why she was pouring water on him as he thought it was water that was being poured on him. The witness explained that the deceased told him that it was at that point that the accused scratched a match and threw it at him and he blazed up in fire and that as he was struggling with the fire all over his body, the accused locked the door on him. The witness said the deceased told him that it was the neighbors who went and broke open the door and they took him to the Emergency Hospital and he was later transferred to the Connaught Hospital.
He said it was the Doctors at the Connaught Hospital who told him that the deceased was 90 degree burnt and that in about one week later, his brother passed on. He explained that he witnessed the postmortem examination that was done, and that snap shots were taken of the remains. The said photos and cause of death certificate of the deceased were produced and tendered in court to form part of the Prosecution’s case. The witness said he later made a statement at the Akon Police Post.
The accused who was unrepresented was asked whether he had questions for the witness and she replied in the negative. The matter was adjourned to 28th January, 2025 while the accused was remanded in prison.