Mother Denies Killing Son

Kumba Sowe, a native of Foni yesterday denied killing her two-year-old son before the Special Criminal Court of the High Court.

Kumba, who had been remanded in custody since November 2008, told the Special Criminal Court that she is the biological mother of the deceased (Jakariya Sowe), a two-year-old boy, and noted that she was not responsible for his death.

Asked by the trial Judge, Moses Richards, whether she was the one who had actually killed her son, she answered in the negative.

She told the court that on 30th November 2008, while bathing in a river at Pirang Village his late son decided to join her in the river and as he advanced towards her the late boy skid and drawn in the river.

She further adduced that all attempts made by her to rescue him proved futile.

Interpreting the law in relations to the alleged offence, Justice Richards told her that “failure to protect and look after your child a lone tantamount to a criminal offence.

The accused was not represented by any legal practitioner”.

She told the court that she cannot afford one and none of her family member is paying her visits.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecution R.N. Chenge applied for short adjournment to enable the prosecution compile all the indictment files by the court order, which was accordingly granted.

The case was adjourned to 3rd November 2009.