Terrick Bright, who was alleged to have murdered his girlfriend, Amie Bah, on the 16th September 2009 at Latrikunda, was on 7th April 2011 sentenced to ten years imprisonment for manslaughter by Justice Ikpala of the Special Criminal Court of the High Court.
The second accused, Lady Chris Nobby, who was arraigned along with the convict, was charged with accessory after the fact of murder, but was discharged and acquitted by the trial judge.
In his judgment, Justice Ikpala told the court that the deceased, Amie Bah, was found lying dead at Latrikunda on16th September 2009.
He stated that there was no eyewitness, adding that in the convict's own confession, he stated that he hit the deceased on her neck with his bangle, and she fell and started making noise.
He indicated that the convict, Terrick Bright, confessed that he covered the mouth and nose of the deceased with cellotape to stop her from making noise.
He further added that the convict confessed that he carried the deceased to the road, and dumped her after he realized that she was no more breathing.
Continuing his judgment, he stated that the convict did not intend to kill the deceased, adding that he covered the mouth and nose of the deceased to prevent her from making noise.
He continued to indicate that the convict hit his girlfriend with the bangle, because he was protesting that the deceased was dating another man.
He said he did not find him guilty of murder, but manslaughter.
The trial judge further stated that the prosecution had failed to prove that the second accused, Lady Chris Nobby, was guilty of the offence with which she was charged, adding that the prosecution witnesses implicated her.
He went on to say that according to the convict's confession, he never mentioned that the second accused joined him to carry the deceased to the road, but he did it alone.
He said he did not find the second accused guilty and, accordingly, discharged and acquitted her.
Before sentence was passed, the defence counsel, Mr.Ozoma, mitigated that the convict was found in naivety and craved the court’s indulgence to temper justice with mercy, adding that the convict was a young man.
The state was represented by the DDPP, Barkum.
