By: Audrey Raymonda John
21 years old Balla Kamara was standing trail in the High Court before Justice Adrian Fisher on a count of man Slaughter.
According to the particulars of offence on Tuesday 11th May 2021 at 14th Samuel Lane Kissy the western Area in Freetown murdered Ishmeal Sannoh.
According to the findings read by State Counsel S. C Kekura the deceased and the accused person encountered disagreement in which the deceased has to pay the accused person the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand old Leones. Counsel S. C Kekura said the accused person drove the deceased on his motorbike for two weeks; the accused person went to his house to collect his money the deceased came out with a knife to stab the accused person. According to the accused person they fought and he tried to defend himself by stabbing the deceased.
Counsel from Legal Aid Board Ibrahim Bangura pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy against the accused person, adding that he is a first time offender and he didn’t waste the time of the court. He further pleaded with the bench to give the accused person another opportunity to meet the society.
The accused person was given a chance to say something to the court where he told the court that he is the one taking care of 75 years old father and sister he did not intend to kill the deceased.
Delivered his Ruling Justice Fisher called the father of the accused person to narrate what transpired between his son and the deceased the father said he has been with his son from the police till this day and the said motorbike that he gave to his own son was given to him by one neighbor who sympathize with his son condition. He handed over the said motorbike to his son who was using it as commercial transport and since then his son was bringing money which he use to give to the owner of the motorbike for certain period.
The father said later his neighbor told him that his son was at the police station. He pleaded with the bench to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Fisher said the accused person is honest and he has gone through his statement and all what he narrated in court was in his statement. He said the accused acted out of self-defense due to that he acquitted and discharged him.