Despite Defendant Pleading Guilty, State Still Has The Burden To Prove Its Case

PHOTO: Defendant Bill Jallah in handcuff

By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com

TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Despite his guilty plea, the state has the burden to prove its case beyond reasonable especially in a capital case.

Suspect Bill Jallah, who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend, Princess Zuo with knife multiple times, was put behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison on Friday, December 27, 2024.. Court Sends Alleged Killer Of Girlfriend To Prison On Murder Charge – News Public Trust

In that light, two men–Emmanuel Dilmen, Human Resource of the Private Sport Bar and Chief Inspector Jacob J. Suah of the Liberia National Police– have testified on different dates in the ongoing murder trial of defendant Bill Jallah.

Criminal Procedure Chapter 16 section 16.4 states, a defendant may plea guilty or not guilty, except that in a capital case, only a plea of not guilty can be accepted. The court may refuse to accept a plea of guilty in any other case and shall not accept such plea without first (a) making such inquiry as may satisfy it that the defendant in fact committed the crime charged and (b) addressing the defendant personally and determining that the plea is made voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the charge. If the defendant refuses plea or if the court refuses to accept a plea of guilty, or if a defendant corporation fails to appear, the court shall enter a plea of not guilty.

Taking the witness stand recently (Wednesday, September 3,2025), Chief Inspector Suah testified that victim Princess Zuo Wesseh called the father of defendant Jallah when the defendant went to disturb her at her place following police interrogation.

According to him, Mr. Williams Jallah called his daughter, Kormosa  Jallah, sister to Bill Jallah to proceed at Congo Town and make intervention as to the complaint from the deceased, Princess Zoe Wesseh.

He added that during police thorough investigation, it was established that Kormosa  Jallah immediately placed a phone call to her brother, Bill Jallah and Bill informed her that he was in Congo Town but not at Princess’s workplace but rather around former President Charles Taylor place. An hour later, deceased Princess Zoe Wesseh placed a phone to Kormosa Jallah, that her brother (defendant) was at her workplace for the second time.

Chief Inspector Suah narrated that, Kormosa immediately informed her elderly sister, Mawin Jallah and they both agreed to go to Congo Town at the deceased, Princess Zoe Wesseh’s workplace to make an intervention. But Kormosa went ahead of Mawin where she met defendant Bill Jallah standing before the entry of the deceased Princess Zoe Wesseh’s workplace.

Inspector Suah informed court through police investigation that Kormosa  Jallah appealed to deceased Princess Zoe Wesseh and defendant Bill Jallah that they all moved to an area that they will sit and discuss. They agreed to go to the Fast Nickel Entertainment Center located at Paynesville Joe Bar, where they will sit and discuss but during their discussion, disagreement came between them but based upon Kormosa’s request the deceased Princess agreed and they all went to the entertainment center called Fast Nickel. They arrived at said entertainment center during the evening hours about 7-8pm.

He further testified that, Police investigation also established why they were at Fast Nickel entertainment, defendant Bill Jallah ordered for drinks. He ordered one bottle of stout for himself and two Malta, one for the deceased Princess and the other for Kormosa.

“Why they were on the table having their conversatios, the deceased received several phone calls which prompted the anger of the defendant Bill Jallah and physically attacked the deceased Princess Zuo Wesseh, after which, she immediately decided to leave the entertainment center to find her way out.” She walked a distance from the entertainment center along the side ward of the road. Defendant’s sister, Kormosa Jallah went after the deceased to appeal to her to stay and continue the discussion prosecution witness testified.

Without fear of God, defendant Jallah took a small size kitchen knife along with him on his side before going to the entertainment center hiding under his shirt and decided to stab the deceased for the first time.

Prosecution witness said, after the first stabbing of the deceased, Kormosa went between them to protect the deceased and in the process defendant Bill Jallah stabbed (Kormosa)her on her left hand. After which she (Kormosa) felt on the ground and defendant Bill Jallah continued to stab the deceased. He said through external examination of the body, it was discovered that the deceased was stabbed seven times in various body parts. Three of the stab wounds were discovered on her chest, another one on her left leg, one on her lower adornment and two on her back.

After committing the alleged act, the defendant, Bill Jallah began to flee the scene and at the entrance, he was arrested and turned over to the Zone Five Base, Police Station. At the scene the blade or knife was also discovered from the crime scene.

During investigation of the defendant in the dock who was represented by his legal Counsel, Cllr. John A. A. Gabriel and in the present of his legal counsel the defendant told the investigators that he stabbed the deceased, Princess Zoe Wesseh one time contrary to what was established by the Investigators.

Based on the witnesses’ testimonies and the physical and external examination that was done on the deceased, defendant Bill Jallah was charged with the crimes of Murder, for intentionally killing deceased, Princess Zuo Wesseh. He was also charged for Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder and Aggravated Assault for inflicting bodily injury on his sister, Kormosa  Jallah on her left hand. The defendant was forwarded to Court for prosecution. Chief Inspector Suah concluded his testimony on the direct examination.

As for witness Emmanuel Dilmen, Human Resource at the Private Bar entertainment, said, he was at his entertainment center on December 21,2024 when two Bill Jallah entered the local entertainment center with two ladies. One of the ladies was dark in complexion while the other was fair in complexion.

He further testified that defendant Jallah upon his entry to the entertainment center, ordered for a bottle of Stout for himself and two Malta for his sister and the deceased.

According to him, few minutes later, he was on a phone call with someone and he went to answer the person. While on his call, he witnessed a confusion between the defendant and the deceased which led the defendant pulling off a small size kitchen knife from his side and stabbed the deceased for the first time but his sister went between them to put a stop to defendant Jallah, she was also victimized by her brother.

The prosecution witness continued his testimony in court and said, following the stabbing of his sister on her left hand, he contacted to stab victim Princess Zuo Wesseh after which, she fell on the ground and began to bleed profusely and he began to fled the scene but he was arrested by angry crowd and turned over to police officers at the Zone five depot, while the victim and her sister were rushed to the ELWA hospital.