PHOTO: Convict Morris Togbah (in organge suit) will now spend the rest of his life behind bars for his crime
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Criminal Court “A” over the weekend sentenced to life imprisonment a 24-year-old man, Morris Togbah for killing his aunt, Rebecca Queeley in Logan community in Monrovia’s Bushrod Island suburb.
The Judge Judge Roosevelt Willie ruling as per record is based on the evidence produced in court and arguments by the prosecution that the convict act was planned out of malice, of which was stated in court by the convict through his admittance to the crime of murder.
After a period of trial, a twelve-member Jury at the Criminal Court “A” on Autust 29, 2022 unanimously handed down guilty verdict against defendant Togbah for the crime of Murder in the court.
Defendant Togbah was indicted for murder by the grand Jury of Monsterrado County for allegedly committing a felony of the first degree in violation of 4LCLR, Title 26, Section 14.1, Section 50.5 and Section 2.2.
Handing down the life sentence at the weekend (Friday, September 2, 2022, Judge Willie ruled that his sentence on defendant Togbah for the crime of Murder based upon the majority guilty verdict of the jury.
Accordingly, prior to the incident on July 1, 2020, defendant Togbah was not in cordial relationship with his aunt due to his criminal behavior of collecting rent from her tenants and converting it into his personal use.
Based on his criminal behavior, his aunt drove him from her house after releasing from the Monrovia Central Prison in 2019, which caused him to harbor hatred for her.
The indictment added that when defendant was leaving his mother in New Kru Town residence in the morning, he was wearing a brown cold hat which was later discovered on crime scene after the commission of the crime which confirmed to link to him.
According to the indictment, while deceased Queelay was at sleep, defendant Togbah entered the premises concealed himself in the bathroom under the covered of darkness and with criminal mind intent to Murder the deceased.
The indictment maintained that as the deceased went to bed, the defendant used the green handle knife intentionally struck deceased on the left side of her chest, under her left breast, thereby directly causing her fatal death.
The indictment noted that after the commission of the crime defendant Togbah fled and went into hiding where he remained until October 13, 2020 when he was picked up on the Capital Bye pass by the police.
On October 13, 2020 defendant Togbah was arrested, acquitted with his constitutional rights, thoroughly investigated and subsequently charged for gruesomely murdering deceased Rebecca Queeley with a green handle kitchen knife.
Defendant Togbah tacitly admitted wearing the hat on the night of the incident but claimed that prior to the incident he met one of his friends who approached him on an operation but after his refusal, his friends forcibly took the cold hat from his head.
Adding that the commission of the crime of Murder, defendant Togbah without any sense of remorse to human value, abscond the crime scene and was later arrested on October 13, 2020.
Judge Willie said:” Murder being a first degree felony, which penalty is either death by hanging or life imprisonment, the guilty plea of the defendant is set aside and the state through the ministry of Justice is ordered to proof beyond all reasonable doubt the guilt of the defendant.”