"I Stabbed The Two With A Knife"

Amadou Jarra, a Malian national charged with the murder of two women (Kitty Fatty and Nyimasata Sanneh, co-wives) in Kerewan, North Bank Region, yesterday admitted stabbing the two deceased with a knife before the Special Criminal Court of the High Court.

He is alleged to have caused the deaths of the deceased sometime in March 2009, a charge he earlier denied.

Briefing the court, the accused said "I took a knife and stabbed both of them because of the serious insult they were raining on me."

At that juncture, Justice Richards intervened and told the accused to tell the court the truth.

Following his change of mind, his Counsel, Sagarr Jahateh, informed the court of her intention to withdraw from the case on the grounds that the accused initially pleaded not guilty only to change at the last minute to guilty, which she said, she could not understand.

However, the Presiding Judge, Justice Moses Richards refused that application, saying that the Counsel cannot withdraw from the case at the 11 hour, as the case had entered its defense stage. He posited that at its climax, her withdrawal will confuse the case.

In his evidence-in-chief, Amadou told the court that he lives in Kerewan Village in the North Bank Region, adding that he knew the deceased, whom he said, were the wives of his landlord.

He adduced that he came to know the husband of the deceased when he met him at the compound of the village Alkalo who later took him to his compound.

He told the court that during his stay with them he never had any problem with them nor with the husband. He noted that their relationship was very cordial.

He told the court that on 2March 2009, around midnight, the deceased started to insult his parents while they were sitting under the veranda, but he did not know the reason.  

Mr. Jarra continued his testimony by saying that after stabbing the deceased some relatives, armed with machetes chased him, and as a result he ran out of the compound.

He said he was subsequently apprehended and taken to the police station and later to the hospital after sustaining some injuries because of the mob.

Justice Richards insisted for the accused to tell the court precisely what type of insults were directed at him, but he replied "I cannot tell the court what type of insults."

The case was adjourned to 3rd November 2009.