August 16, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Presiding Magistrate at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, Dr. Abou Bakarr Binneh-Kamara, yesterday remanded a pregnant woman, Fatmata Koroma, 21, at the Female Correctional Centre on Jomo Kenyatta Road in Freetown for allegedly murdering her co-wife.
The accused was in court on a count charge of murder, contrary to the law of Sierra Leone.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant 922 Dumbuya alleged that the accused on Sunday, 19 June, 2016 murdered her co-wife Sama Bangura at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) in Freetown.
According to brief fact of police investigation, it is alleged that on Wednesday, 8 June, 2016 the accused physically assaulted the 28-year-old deceased, who was also ten months pregnant.
According to the police report, the deceased had human bite wounds on her upper right eye, left thumb, and complained of general bodily pain.
The report states that on 8 June, 2016 the accused was planting crops on a piece of land which the deceased had prepared to cultivate maize on.
According to the report, the deceased and other neighbours advised the accused to stop her planting activity on the said piece of land, but she refused.
The report states that an argument ensued between the co-wives, which degenerated into a fight.
The report continues that during the fight, the accused allegedly bit the upper right eye and left thumb of the deceased, thus inflicting on her a fatal wounds.
The deceased reportedly went to the Family Support Unit (FSU) at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Freetown, where she was issued with a Police medical form.
Investigators put the accused on bail after completing their investigation, as they waited for legal advice for the matter to be charged to court.
However, the deceased delivered a stillborn baby on 17 June, 2016 before she subsequently died.