Criminal Court “A” Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie Tuesday sentenced a thirty-six year-old man, Salieu Jalloh, who was charged with murder, to three years imprisonment for manslaughter following an application by his lawyer to reduce the sentence.
Defense lawyer Cllr. Joseph Debblay made an application to the court to reduce the crime of murder to manslaughter which was levied against his client.
Cllr Debblay said after reading and perusing the indictment in the case, the facts and circumstances pointed more to manslaughter than murder.
” The facts revealed that there was provocation which led to the death of Alpha Jalloh.We therefore request the court to drop the crime of murder to manslaughter and reduce the sentence to a lesser term,” Cllr. Debblay said.
Prosecution lawyers interposed no objection tothe application made by the defense lawyer for the defendant.
The indictment pointed out that defendant Salieu Jalloh was arrested and indicted during the 2018 November Term of Court.
According to court record, the defendant, during the night hour of November 26, 2018 within the Township of West Point, while the victim Alpha Jalloh and his brother Amandou Jalloh were boiling tea to drink, the defendant ruthlessly attacked the victim, Alpha Jalloh.
It said prior to the incident of November 2018 which led to the death of the victim, the defendant had suspected the deceased of having a love affair with his wife, which he had openly accused the deceased of.
Because of the alleged extra-marital affair between the deceased and the defendant’s wife, he (the defendant) took a black handle sliver blade knife and stabbed the victim in the chest, which led to his death.
Granting the application made by the defense lawyer, Judge Willie said the death was done through provocation and therefore the defendant pleaded not guilty to murder and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, asking the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the defendant.
Judge Willie further pointed out that when the court asked the defendant whether he understood the assertion made by his counsel that he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, he answered in the affirmative.
Judge Willie indicated that the defendant admitted that he killed the victim but out of provocation and mistake, and that in view of the fact that prosecution lawyers interposed no objection the court will temper justice with mercy
“Because the maximum sentenced for manslaughter under Liberian law is five years, this court hereby sentences the defendant to three years imprisonment which begins effective today, April 2, 2019.,” Judge Willie said.
Meanwhile, the Clerk of Court has been ordered to communicate with the prison authority to have the defendant incarcerated to serve his prison term.
LINA
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