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The High Court of Sierra Leone has ruled in favor of a judge-alone trial for Abdul Kpaka, a businessman and lecturer accused of murdering his girlfriend, Sia Kamara.
The decision came after a heated debate between the prosecution and defense teams.
Kpaka is alleged to have killed Kamara, a former Communications Executive at the Freetown City Council in a domestic dispute. The trial, presided over by Justice Momoh Jah Stevens, has seen significant developments in recent weeks.
The prosecution argued for a judge-alone trial, citing concerns about the potential for jury bias. However, the defense contended that Kpaka had a constitutional right to choose between a judge or a jury. Despite these objections, Justice Stevens ultimately sided with the prosecution, stating that a judge-alone trial would be in the best interests of justice.
The first witness to testify was Christiana Kamara, the younger sister of the deceased. She described a tumultuous relationship between her sister and the accused, alleging that Kpaka had frequently abused Sia both physically and verbally. However, the defense challenged the credibility of her testimony, claiming that some of her statements were hearsay.
The trial is scheduled to resume on October 3rd.
