October 19, 2021
By Audrey John
Elizabeth Mande Judith Kanu 2nd year Mass Communication student of the University of Makeni was on Friday 15 October 2021 sent to remand for the alleged murder of her colleague Sonia Mary Thomas. The accused made her second appearance before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road court No 1 on One count of murder contrary to law. According to the particulars of offence, it was alleged that the accused Elizabeth Mande Judith Kanu on Monday 6 September 2021, at UNIMAK Fatima Campus Hostel Makeni in the Bombali District Northern province murder Sonia Mary Thomas.
The prosecution witness No 1 Ramash Kamara led in evidence by ASP Aminatu Daboh said she is a second year student of the University of Makeni.
She recognized the accused as a friend and colleague and the deceased Sonia Mary Thomas. The witness further recalled on 6th September 2021, adding that on that day he was at the University Fatima hostel. She said whiles at the hostel together with the accused and few of other colleagues and the deceased at room 15 they requested for good from the deceased. She said the deceased then gave them Quaker oats and corn flour which they ate and that upon eating the food she left with her friend Kainda leaving the deceased together with the accused.
“But later whiles at the corridor, I heard the accused and the deceased arguing, my friend Kainda Sesay and I rush to them and ask what was the problem but they did not respond, but later the deceased told us that she had told the accused to stop shouting at her place, in my presence the deceased had wanted to hit the accused but we stopped her and asked her to forget about what had happen”, the witness explained.
In further evidence she said the accused was still shouting at the deceased that provoked her to hit the accused, but said she could not because she (deceased) was breathing faster and she fainted, adding that they laid her on the bed and started fanning her. The witness explained further that whiles she was attending to the deceased; her colleague went to call the Matron who came to the scene immediately and took the deceased to the hospital together with Father Joe Turay.
She said whiles they were about to go to the hospital, they were informed by father Joe Turay that the deceased had passed away. “I was invited to the Makeni police station for questioning as to what happen at the scene and was later detained and transferred to CID HQ Freetown where I was released and subsequently made statement. During cross examination by lawyer J.M Jengo on behalf of the accused, the witness said she is a second year student. She also said that she knows a young man called Mira, adding that the deceased rushed at the accused twice in order to hit her and that it was during the second attempt she fainted. The witness also confirmed that it was father Joe and others that first had physical contact with the deceased after she fainted.
The witness further told the court during cross examination that she could not tell what transpired at the hospital because she was not there. The accused was remanded in prison and the matter was adjourned to 20 October 2021 for further hearing. ASP Aminatu Daboh is prosecuting the matter on behalf of the Inspector General of Police whiles lawyer J.M Jengo defended the accused in court.