As Defendant Has Since Pleaded Guilty
PHOTO: Defendant Samuel Porte (left and wearing orange suit) being escorted by a Correction Officer
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Criminal Court “A” presided over by its resident judge Roosevelt Z. Willie has set this Monday February 26,2024 for final arguments into the ongoing murder trial of a man who allegedly butchered his girlfriend for cooking cassava leaf in the Crazerville, Montserrado County.
Cassava leave is a popular Liberian sauce eaten with rice, the country’s staple food.
At the call of the case, defendant Samuel Porte pleaded guilty to the crime charged. But usually in capital cases when a defendant pleads guilty, the state is given the opportunity to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
Defendant Samuel Porte in the ongoing Murder trial before the Criminal Court “A” Judge Willie has pleaded guilty. defendant Porte, butchered his wife Sarah Morris over a Cassava leaves Rice on September 2, 2024, in the Township of Crusoeville.
Taking the witness stand on Wednesday, February 22, 2024, defendant Porte told the court and jurors immediately after being arraigned pleaded guilty to the crime of Murder and Aggravated Assault Defendant Porte begged for mercy in open court ” I would like to say sorry for what I have done, it was not intended to but yet I found myself in it.
“I am just appealing to the State and family for mercy ” However, the final argument into the case is now scheduled for Monday 26,2024, where both the prosecution and the defense will argue their side of the case. During the trial prosecution’s fourth witness, Jerry K.Wamah an investigator for homicide at the Liberia National Police informed the court that during the preliminary investigation conducted with suspect Porte who murdered his wife at their Crusoeville community residence was arrested but he later denied the allegation levied against him”.
He later admitted to the said act and ran away, predicated upon admitting to the killing he was charged with the crimes of murder and aggravated assault and forwarded to court for prosecution. He continues the late Sarah Y. Morris’s husband Porte inflicted wounds on her face and around her throat.
The mother of the deceased (Sarah Morris) in her testimony Musu Cox said “I received a call from my grandmother to go to their house quickly why go to the house I met Porte on his way with a bag and cutlass in his hand, when I got to the house she was informed by her daughter that she brought her food from the market and fix everything and Porte took everything and throw it away”.
The Mother further explained: “I asked Porte what happened he said your daughter knows I cannot eat cassava leaves then she went beat Cassava leaves, she will always cook different soups, by giving her money then that’s bad”. She further narrated, “During the night I heard my daughter’s voice shouting Porte killing me she jumped outside and I saw him killing my daughter with a cutlass in his hand and I went there and grabbed his hand and he threw me down and sat in my chest and opened his leg and when she got up he had cut my toes. “