Amidu Koroma, a Sierra Leonean man residing in London and previously employed as a delivery driver, has been sentenced to 29 years in prison for the brutal murder of his wife, Mariam Kamara, and the subsequent attempt to conceal the crime by setting his home ablaze while falsely accusing his teenage son. The sentencing took place at the Old Bailey in London.

The tragedy unfolded in January 2022, when Amidu Koroma, 48, fatally stabbed Mariam Kamara, a 46-year-old community nurse, in their residence in Brixton, south London. During the trial, it was revealed that he attacked his wife, stabbing her four times in the face, neck, and chest with a kitchen knife while she was sleeping in her bed.

Following the murder, Koroma resorted to arson, using petrol to ignite a fire in an attempt to cover up the crime and eliminate any evidence of his actions. Shockingly, he falsely accused his innocent 17-year-old son, Ishmael, of being mentally disturbed and re-enacting a scene from the popular Netflix thriller “You.”

Judge Rebecca Poulet KC, while delivering the verdict, deemed Koroma’s actions “particularly cruel and unpleasant,” emphasizing the severity of blaming his own son for the heinous act. Apart from his 29-year prison sentence for murder, Koroma also received a concurrent seven-year sentence for arson.

Jurors reached a guilty verdict on Thursday, concluding the trial that had shed light on the horrifying details of the case.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that the relationship between Koroma and Ms. Kamara had been “toxic.” Ms. Kamara had confided in friends, expressing fears that her husband might take her life. Furthermore, it was disclosed that Koroma, who had a child with another woman, had been apprehensive that his wife would leave him for a man with whom she had developed an intimate friendship in Sierra Leone.

On Monday, Judge Poulet pointed out that the defendant had meticulously planned the murder to prevent Ms. Kamara from traveling to Sierra Leone. She remarked, “You had planned to burn her body and thereby destroy the evidence of her injuries, but very careful investigation and your own inconsistent statements have exposed your crimes and your undoubted responsibility for them.”

The court also considered the aggravating factors in the case, including a history of abuse and “terrifying threats.” Additionally, the victim’s son, Ishmael, was present in the house at the time of the murder.

In stark contrast to Koroma’s false claims, Judge Poulet emphasized that Ishmael was a “typical teenager,” and Ms. Kamara was a “deeply caring and responsible mother.” Ishmael, in a victim impact statement, expressed the profound loss of his mother and the deep impact her death had on him, causing him to struggle with trust and emotional scars.