By Janet Sesay
Lamrana Bangura is answering to a murder charge at a high court trial in Freetown presided over by Justice Monfred Sesay.
Lamrana is alleged to have murdered her husband by squeezing his scrotum for over an hour.
Counsel, Joseph Abdulkarim Sesay is prosecuting the accused on behalf of the state.
On the commencement of the trial, the prosecution counsel offered a brief background of the murder case for the judge’s attention.
Counsel Sesay explained to the court that on 5th December, 2018 at Lumpa inWaterloo, the accused person murdered the deceased.
He reminded the court that the accused person is standing trial before the court for a murder offence, one of the felonious crimes known to the criminal law.
In his presentation, counsel re-echoes the legal definition of the crime of murder, which according to him, occurs when a person of sound mind and the age of discretion unlawfully kills another person by doing anything to that person with an intention to kill or causes grievous bodily harm to that person who dies within a year and a day.
Counsel also emphasised that the death could arise from different circumstances including gunshot, manual strangulation, stab wounds, hitting somebody or poisoning any person.
He also contended that for the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, four elements are needed.
The first element, the lawyer argued, the prosecution must prove that the accused person was not “mad” at the time hecommitted the alleged offence.
The second element, he also contended, is for the prosecution to show that the accused did something to the deceased that led to the death.
Similarly, the third element, counsel went on, is for the prosecution to show that the accused person did kill the deceased and that the fourth element, the death takes place within a year and a day. “With these elements, the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and at the end of the trial, the accused persons must be sentenced accordingly,” counsel argued.
He briefed the court about the facts of the matter by stating that the deceased, Alie Bangura and the accused, Lamrana Bangura were husband and wife residing at Mamboreh, Lumpa and Waterloo.
On 5th December 2018, the prosecution lawyer continued, the deceased requested the accused to fetch water for him so that he could take birth.
He said whilst the accused was on her way to fetch water, she caught up with her friend, Augusta with whom she discussed briefly. Not too long, state counsel said, deceased came out to enquire about the reason the accused did not take the water to the bathroom.
At the time the deceased arrived; state counsel went on, he saw the accused conversing with Augusta with which he was not happy.
He also told the court that the deceased therefore warned the accused against going into any friendly relationship with Augusta.
As a result of the warning, state counsel explained, a quarrel ensued between the accused and the deceased which led to a fight. The accused, counsel said, squeezed the deceased’s scrotum for an hour leading to the collapse of the deceased. “The deceased was rushed to the hospital where he subsequently died,” counsel narrated.
Zainab Bangura, a niece to the deceased as a witness of fact told the court she recognised the accused as her uncle’s wife and also recalled 5th December, 2018.
She said on the said date, she was at home when Augusta came to the house and chat with the accused person. “After Augusta went away, the deceased warned the accused never to associate herself with her {Augusta},” the witness said.
After the warning, witness continued, the accused and the deceased started quarrelling. “I tried to stop them but they refused and the quarrel went on and resulted into a fight,” the witness narrated.
Zainab also testified that, during the fight, she went to her aunt to invite her to the scene, but could not come. On her return, Zainab continued, she met the accused and the deceased still fighting. “During the fight, the accused got hold of the deceased’s scrotum and the deceased shouted,” the witness said.
The landlady, witness said, also came to the scene and pleaded with the accused to leave the deceased’s scrotum, but refused to do so.
The witness also stated that one of the residents, Alie Kamara came to the scene and told the accused to release deceased’s genitals and she complied. “Afterwards, the deceased went into the parlour and died,” the witness rounded up her testimony.
The accused is before the court on one count of murder contrary to law.
The court details states that the accused person on 5th December, 2018 at Waterloo Mamboreh Lumpa in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone murdered Alie Bangura.
Accused remanded in custody and the matter comes up on 12th February.
In a related development, Alpha Umaru Jalloh is also standing trial before Justice Monfred Sesay for allegedly murdering Momodu Munjuru.
State counsel, Joseph Sesay told the court that the accused and the deceased worked at the Peace Market Lorry Park at Ferry Junction in Freetown as apprentices and park attendants.
He said on 29th October 2016, whiles they were at the lorry park, a quarrel ensued between the accusedand the deceased which, he said, resulted into a fight.
During the fight, counsel said, the accused hit the deceased into his tummy and other parts of his body. “The deceased was rushed to the hospital and subsequently died,” counsel said.
The accused also remanded in custody and the two murder matters come up on the same date.