As Judge reduces Lungi murder to manslaughter…
March 16, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Justice Alusine Sesay yesterday granted an application for the murder charge against Fatmata Moijueh Tucker to be reduced to manslaughter.
Ms. Tucker was charged with the alleged murder of Saidu Bangura at the Soufizan Guest House in Lungi in the Port Loko District, on 6 April, 2014.
Although the accused had pleaded ‘not guilty’ to murder, she however pleaded guilty to the offence of manslaughter after an amended charge sheet was read to her in court.
State Prosecutor Ahmed J.M. Bockarie said he had spoken with the Director of Prosecution, Suliaman Bah, and that the prosecution wished to replace murder with manslaughter, adding that the application was made pursuant to section 148(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
The prosecutor further applied that jurors be dismissed from the trial because the charge has been modified to manslaughter.
While admonishing a relative of the deceased, Suliaman Sesay, who has been following the matter since its inception, Justice Sesay said that the prosecution’s amendment of the charge from murder to manslaughter meant the accused did not kill the deceased intentionally.
He noted that as the accused has pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter it was now left with the court to pass judgment.
The matter was adjourned until 22 March, 2016.