Man, 22 Jailed for Life over Killing 18-Year-old Girlfriend
At long last, Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie of Criminal Court “A” in Monrovia has sentenced 22-years old Valington Kaiser Alias “Bishop” to life imprisonment for murdering his 18-year-old girlfriend, Fatu Blasuah.
“It is considered the judgment of this court that defendant Valington Kaiser is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment for murder,” Judge Willie said.
Judge Willies’ decision is based on an unanimous guilty verdict handed down by trial jurors on March 1, 2023, which followed series of evidence produced in court by prosecutors with a CCTV video footage that captured then-defendant Kaiser with his girlfriend around the area her lifeless body was discovered.
Upon their unanimous guilty verdict, Judge Willie requested the clerk to communicate with the probation officer at the Ministry of Justice to investigate the life of Valington Kaiser before the crime- the Pre-trial sentence investigation
The pre-sentence investigation is aimed at interviewing community dwellers about the defendant’s reputation and character. And it also helps the court in deciding on the sentencing.
In the Pre- Sentence investigation findings, it was established that Kaiser has no criminal records. However, based on evidence and deliberations in court, he was found guilty of the crime of murder.
Section 14.1 A&B of the Penal code law of Liberia states “a person is guilty of murder if he, or she purposely or knowingly causes the death of another person or causing the death of another human being under circumstances and extreme indifference.
During the sentencing hearing state prosecutors provided facts and circumstances beyond all reasonable doubt that the crime of murder was committed by Kaiser.
“With the presentation of the CCTV’s footage in open court which captured defendant Valington Kaiser with the deceased at the time of the murder, solely shows why he is being convicted of her murder,” Judge Willie stated.
He ordered the court’s clerk to inform the Superintendent of the Monrovia Central Prison with immediate effect to the ruling.
Though the defense accepted the ruling they announced that an appeal will be made to the Supreme court of Liberia
On May 16, of last year, at 6:30 PM, the lifeless body of Fatu Blasuah, a resident of Chicken Soup Factory Gulf Community was discovered with several stab wounds on her body in the Old LPRC Compound, which holds factories including a Biscuit Factory Complex and Steel Making factory.
Kaiser was arrested by the LNP for his alleged involvement in the murder.
During a police preliminary investigation, a silver knife with a green handle was discovered on the scene.
Police probe identified suspect Valington Kaiser in a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) recording on the scene where the victim was discovered dead on the day of the incident, contrary to his account that he placed the victim on a motorbike to go home.
The grand jury of Montserrado county then indicted defendant Kaiser and said that on that same May 15, he send multiple text messages to the deceased including phone calls.
Upon taking the witness stand on February 24, convict Kaiser admitted to being in one of the scenes captured on the CCTV video footage displayed but denied being in the others adding that, the video was meant to entrap him as he was the boyfriend of the deceased.
Convict Kaiser also inform the court and jury that his late girlfriend Fatu on many occasions complained of her ex-boyfriend identified as Romeo Tamba for always embarrassing her but said no one wants to believe him.
According to him, after their time together, he placed his girlfriend on a motorbike and returned home but, the footage produced showed otherwise.
Convict Valington is being reprimanded at the Monrovia Central prison where he will spend the rest of his life as he has been found guilty and convicted of murder.
