๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐. ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ.
20-year-old Tenneh Brima has been sentenced to thirty years in prison for killing her biological daughter. She was convicted by Justice John Bosco Alieu after she was found guilty on one count charge of murder.
It is alleged by the State Prosecutor Alberta Kargbo that the now convict Tenneh Brima on 30th October 2020 in Freetown murdered her 2-year-old girl child.
Giving a brief summary of the matter, the trial Judge, Justice John Bosco Alieu said in order to prove the guilt of the then accused, the prosecution called and led three witnesses in evidence.
Mathew Brima, the convictโs uncle was the first prosecution witness that testified. In his testimony he told the court that he saw the convict in the morning hours of 30th October 2020 with her child on her back and left for an unknown location. Later, the witness said he was called by an unknown person who informed him of the incident.
Upon his arrival at the scene, he met the girl child wrapped in a mat. On inquiry, he was told that the wrapper of the convict got loose whilst trying to cross a stream, and the child to fell into the water.
According to the Judge, the autopsy report of the Pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma corroborated the testimony of the convictโs uncle by saying the baby died of normal wet drowning with no physical assault.
After the prosecution closes its case, the convict in her defense said she relied on her statement made to the police, where she said on that day she was undergoing stressful situation from her uncle’s wife who she (convict) accused of being a witch.
The convict reiterated her uncleโs evidence before the court, stating that she left the house and while crossing the river the baby got heavier on her back and while trying to remove the baby from her back, the baby slipped and eventually drowned in the water.
She further told the police that after the baby had fallen into the water, she looked for the baby for nearly 3 minutes. She later saw the baby and in a rush took her from the water. The child was rushed to a medical doctor who confirmed the death of the girl child.
Justice Allieu at the end of the summing up asked members of the jury panel to retire and return with their verdict. After 30 minutes later, the jurors returned with a unanimous guilty verdict.
Based on the guilty verdict, the Judge said he is left with no option but to as by law sentence the convict to a maximum jail term.
