By Landing Ceesay
In her continued defense, Kumba Sinyan admitted to killing her ex-fiancé, Momodou Lamarana Jallow, by cutting him with a razor blade and stabbing him in the chest with a broken tile during a fight, claiming it was in self-defense.
Kumba Sinyan, a young entrepreneur, faces murder charges under section 187 of the Criminal Code Cap: 10:01 Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.
Prosecutors allege that on September 14, 2022, at The Friendship Hostel in Bakau, Kumba Sinyan, with premeditated intent, caused the death of Momodou Lamarana Jallow by cutting his stomach with an object, an act punishable by death under section 188 of the Criminal Code Cap of the Laws of the Gambia 2009.
While presenting her defense, Kumba Sinyan confessed to the killing but denied the prosecution’s claim that it was intentional.
Before her confession, Kumba explained to the court that she and Lamarana had agreed to meet at the Friendship Hostel in Bakau on the night of the incident.
“In the morning when I woke up, I saw his (Lamarana Jallow’s) missed call so I called him back and we chit-chatted. It went to the point where he told me that we needed to see each other because he missed me cleaning him. What that meant is that he missed me cleaning his private part. That is for me to shave his private part. We were supposed to meet at the Friendship Hostel at the Independence Stadium. We decided to meet in the evening around 8 to 9 pm. I agreed to the meeting,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba testified that the meeting on the night of the incident was not the first time she had met her ex-fiancé, Momodou Lamarana Jallow, at the Friendship Hostel. She informed the court that they had met there on several occasions.
She also mentioned that sometimes she would book the hostel, while other times, Lamarana would make the reservation.
However, on the night of the incident, Kumba stated that it was Lamarana Jallow who had booked the hostel.
“We spoke about the meeting, then we spoke the whole day till in the evening. Everything was okay between the two of us and we did not have any argument or disagreement. Before we met up in the evening at the hostel, we spoke again about the Magrhib prayers. He (Lamarana Jallow) told me that he was planning to leave home and that we should meet there. I asked him to come by my place to pick me up but he told me that since I was not done yet I should just meet him at the hostel.
“We spoke again when I was about to go and take a shower. My phone was updating at the time, so I had to call him on my Sister’s phone to let him know that my phone was updating. But he told me that he has a low battery and that I should bring him a power bank when coming. He (Lamarana Jallow) also told me the room number which was 111, and he said in case I call him and his phone is off.
“Lama was the one who made the bookings for the hostel room. Before going there I took a shower and then wore brown tights, a black shirt, a black hat, a black head scarf with a blue face mask and brown slippers,” Kumba testified.
“What did you say to the suggestion that you wore those clothes as a disguise?” Counsel Sagar Twum, Kumba’s Lawyer asked her.
“No, that’s not what happened,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba testified in court that she left her house around 8 pm but did not go directly to the hostel. Instead, she stopped by a shop to purchase soap for cleaning Lamarana Jallow’s private area.
“From home to the shop, I went straight to the Independence Stadium and I found a security man at the gate and greeted him. I then entered and went towards the Friendship Hostel. On arrival at the gate, I met people there but I didn’t know them. Ensa Touray (PW3), he is a receptionist at the Hostel, came out. When I entered the Hostel to meet with Mama, I was observing. Because Lama told me that the room number is 111. When I got there, I knocked and he opened it.
“When I entered room 111 and sat down we were chatting. We were chatting and talking about his travels and the business we talked about. He (Lamarana Jallow) went inside the cabinet and undressed. He came and lay down on his back on the bed while I was sitting at the edge of the bed. From there I took out one razor blade from the pack that was one of the blades that Lama brought with him. It was not in a new packet. The shaving stick was the local one that you attach to the blade,” Kumba testified.
Counsel Sagar requested exhibits H4 (the razor blade packet), D2 (the razor blade’s blue and white cover), and F2 (the outer cover of the razor blade).
These items were presented to Kumba Sinyan for identification. She confirmed that they were the items brought to the hostel by Lamarana Jallow on the night of the incident.
Counsel Sagar also handed exhibit D1 to Kumba for identification, and she identified it as the local shaving stick brought to the hostel by Lamarana Jallow.
Kumba testified that she used soap and water to apply to Lamarana Jallow’s private part. She then took a razor blade, fixed it to the shaving stick, and began shaving Lamarana Jallow’s private part.
“Lama was naked and laying on his back while I was shaving him but I was in my clothes. I don’t know how long it took but we were chatting as well,” Kumba testified.
Kumba testified in court that, aside from bringing soap and her power bank, she did not carry any sharp objects or weapons to Friendship Hostel when meeting Lamarana Jallow.
She further stated that although she was supposed to use a shaving stick to shave Lamarana Jallow’s private area, it was Lamarana Jallow who provided the shaving stick.
“After I finished shaving him, we both went into the toilet where Lama took a shower while I poured water into the sink. I left Lama in the toilet and went back into the room. Because it was hot there, I decided to take off my tights and shirt while wearing my pants and bra. I lay on the bed and Lama came out of the toilet, turned off the light and lay on top of me.
He (Lamarana Jallow) told me that he was travelling but if I dared cheat behind his back, I would know. I told him that I was not him and that I would not do that. I also told him to make sure that he would not cheat on me as well. He threatened that if I go with someone else, he has friends here and that he would know. I told him that he would meet me the same way he would leave me here. He (Lamarana Jallow) then told me that he wanted us to have sex but we could not because I had already sealed myself,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba testified that despite informing Lamarana Jallow that they could not engage in sexual activity because she had sealed her private part, Lamarana proceeded to forcibly penetrate her against her will.
“He (Lamarana Jallow) then took his hand and pressed it on my neck while he was also trying to force himself to have sex with me. He was trying to insert his penis into my private part through the sides of my pants. While he was pressing my neck he was forcing his penis in my private part. Then I told him that he was hurting me. That was the time I knew that he was serious because he was hurting me by pressing my neck and putting his penis in my private part. He was forcing me to have sex with me, and I realized that his penis had entered my private part,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba testified in court that, even though she was “sealed” and fully clothed, Lamarana purportedly violated her against her will.
She informed the court that this wasn’t Lamarana’s first attempt to coerce her into sexual intercourse. Kumba recalled that the first time Lamarana allegedly acted in such a manner, she suspected he was under the influence of drugs.
Subsequently, Counsel Sagar presented an autopsy report pertaining to Lamarana Jallow and handed it to Kumba Sinyan for her perusal.
“It is correct that recreational drugs were found in Lama’s body?” Counsel Sagar asked Kumba.
“Yes, it is,” Kumba told the court.
When questioned about her reaction to the news, Kumba informed the court that she was not surprised to learn about the presence of recreational drugs in Lamarana Jallow’s system. She stated that Lamarana Jallow had been involved in both using and selling illegal drugs.
Describing the events in room 111 at Friendship Hostel, Kumba explained that Lamarana Jallow’s actions, which caused her harm, brought back painful memories of past experiences, including what her uncle had done and previous incidents involving Lamarana.
“At the time the only thought I had was that if I didn’t defend myself, he (Lamarana Jallow) would hurt me. I tried to get my phone but I could not. So I got hold of one of the blades and I injured him with the blade. At the time I did not know where I hurt him because it was very dark. But then I realized that he was a bit relaxed on top of me after injuring him. I then pushed him and he fell off the bed. I tried to escape but he got up and came after me. While I was on the wall he hit my head on the wall. We kept going back and forth until he slapped me but we kept fighting and my head scarf fell from my head,” Kumba Sinyan told the court.
Kumba Sinyan further told the court that she pushed Lamarana and both of them fell on the ground between the toilet door and that of the cabinet. But she was on top of Lamarana when they both fell down.
“When we fell I was on top of him, some of our parts were in the toilet and the other in the cabinet. There he (Lamarana Jallow) was struggling to turn in but I was trying to defend myself. Then I saw a broken tile and I dragged it for it to get closer to me. When I dragged the broken tile and picked it up with my right hand. That was the time I stabbed him.
“I stabbed him in his chest. I then tried to get up from him, I pressed him while getting up with my two hands. There I realized that he was bleeding and I was on the light. I then dragged him to where I was and placed his head on my lap. I then realized that he sustained injuries and his intestines were out,” Kumba testified.
According to Kumba Sinyan’s account, Lamarana Jallow’s intestines protrude when she pressed both hands on his abdomen while rising after stabbing him in the chest with a broken tile.
Kumba further explained that it was only after turning on the light that she noticed the razor blade had cut Lamarana on his stomach.
“Did you initially think that the razor blade injury was a life-threatening injury?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“No, I did not,” Kumba Sinyan responded.
When asked the kind of wounds she saw on Lamarana Jallow, Kumba told the court that there were injuries on his body, chest and stomach.
She told the court that Lamarana Jallow got those injuries when she stabbed him again.
“I then dragged him and sat on the ground and put his head on my lap, he started telling me to forgive him, and I told him please Lama don’t die and leave me here. But he kept telling me to forgive him and that he would die,” Kumba testified while in tears.
“Did you anticipate that the fight would lead to this?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“I never thought about such,” Kumba told the court.
“This is not something you planned?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“Yes, I never planned and it was never my intention,” Kumba testified.
“Did you love Lama?” Counsel Sagar again asked Kumba.
“Yes, I love him,” Kumba testified.
“Did you remember the day you were arraigned before the court and the charge was read to you?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“Yes, I remember,” Kumba responded.
“Prosecution stated that with malice aforethought, you caused the death of Momodou Lamarana Jallow by cutting his stomach with an object. Is that what happened?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“No, it was not my intention to kill Lama,” Kumba told the court.
“Why didn’t you go out to the hospital and look for help?” Counsel Sagar asked.
“I was scared that was the reason I didn’t call for help. That’s why when he was talking and shouting, I was scared for people to come and meet me there, then I removed my scarf and put it in his mouth,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba told the court that she then took her phone and called one Pa Modou Jeng and informed him about what transpired between her and Lamarana Jallow.
“I took my phone and called Pa Modou Jeng (PW2) and told him that I fought with Lama, he had injuries on his body and he was lying down and I don’t know whether he is dead. Pa asked where I was, I told him that I was at the stadium. He told me that he was coming there. I sat for a while and he did not come. I called him again and he told me that he was coming but he didn’t come. I tried to put on my clothes because I was naked.
“The way Lama was lying down I tried to put on his trousers. One leg entered but my body was weak that’s why I couldn’t do it. I wanted to do it because he was naked. I then put a pillow on his stomach because his intestines were out so put a pillow there before the air entered his stomach. From there I called Muhammed Khalilu, and asked him whether he had several taxi drivers. But I did not tell him what happened. So he sent me credit and the number of the taxi driver. But the driver was taking time to come so I called him back and told him to tell the Driver not to come again,” she testified.
Kumba recounted that she gathered her clothes from the bed and exited the room. She mentioned that as she was departing the Hostel, she navigated through the reception area and encountered people seated outside.
She described that upon stepping out of the Hostel’s main entrance, she noticed a fast-approaching vehicle behind her which came to a halt.
It was at this moment, Kumba realized that the individual in the vehicle was Demba Bah, a receptionist at the hostel. She recalled that Demba Bah inquired if she had had a confrontation with Lamarana, to which she confirmed positively.
“I told him that he (Lamarana Jallow) had some wounds and he was lying in the room. He asked whether he was dead. I told him I didn’t remember. He said let us go to the hospital but I told him that I want to go home. I then alighted from his vehicle and went home,” Kumba told the court.
Kumba Sinyan’s attorney then asked her to pause her testimony at that juncture to attend to her phone, which she claimed contained information that could aid her defense.
Kumba was handed the phone to unlock. She successfully unlocked the device but informed the court that she was unable to access its content without an internet connection.
She explained to the court that the relevant content was on her Snapchat and required an internet connection to access it.
Hon. Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh then provided internet access for her phone.
Kumba Sinyan proceeded to her Snapchat and attempted to download the video to her gallery, but it remained in a loading state.
Counsel Sagar subsequently moved to submit her phone as evidence and requested it be marked as an exhibit.
With no opposition from the State, Hon. Justice Jobarteh accepted the phone as evidence and designated it as Defense Exhibit 7.
Hon. Justice Jobarteh then adjourned the case until the 17th of July 2024 for further proceedings.