- Two prosecution witnesses gave chilling accounts last week of how defendant Bill Jallah allegedly stabbed his girlfriend, Princess Zuo, to death and wounded his sister during a confrontation at a Paynesville entertainment center.
Though Jallah has already entered a guilty plea, Liberian law requires prosecutors to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in capital cases. That burden, legal analysts say, makes witness testimony critical to securing a conviction.
The testimonies from a senior police investigator and a bar employee provided jurors with detailed narratives of the December 2024 incident that left 25-year-old Princess Zoe Wesseh dead. Their accounts not only placed Jallah at the crime scene but also described how he concealed a knife and repeatedly stabbed the victim, countering his claim that he struck only once.
Police Inspector's Account
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Chief Inspector Jacob J. Suah told Criminal Court 'A' on Wednesday that Wesseh had complained to Jallah's family about harassment shortly before the fatal attack.
He said Jallah's sister, Kormosa, tried to mediate and persuaded both Jallah and Wesseh to continue their discussion at the Fast Nickel Entertainment Center in Paynesville.
"During their conversation, the deceased received several phone calls which prompted the anger of the defendant," Suah testified. He said Jallah attacked Wesseh with a small kitchen knife he had hidden under his shirt.
When Kormosa tried to shield Wesseh, she was stabbed in the hand. Wesseh was stabbed seven times in total, in her chest, back, leg, and abdomen, before collapsing.
Suah added that Jallah was arrested while attempting to flee and that investigators recovered the knife at the scene.
Bar Employee's Testimony
Emmanuel Dilmen, human resources officer at the Private Bar Entertainment Center, corroborated Suah's account.
He told the court that Jallah arrived at the bar on December 21 with Wesseh and Kormosa, ordered drinks, and soon after began arguing with the deceased.
"I witnessed a confusion between the defendant and the deceased which led the defendant to pull a small size kitchen knife ... and stab the deceased," Dilmen testified. He said Kormosa was injured in the scuffle before Wesseh was fatally wounded.
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An angry crowd detained Jallah as Wesseh and Kormosa were rushed to ELWA Hospital.
