Monrovia – The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, presided over by Magistrate Ben Barco, has sentenced an 18-year-old man, James Zodwah, to the Monrovia Central Prison for allegedly murdering Abraham Nat. Zodwah is accused of stabbing Nat in the left eye with a pair of scissors while attempting to assault his girlfriend, Ruth, on August 17, 2023.
By Victoria G Wesseh, Contributing Writer
Recalling the events of August 7, 2023, at approximately 8:45 am, an altercation ensued between the victim, Abraham Nat, and the defendant, James Zoduwah. The dispute arose from Nat’s girlfriend, identified as Ruth. The situation escalated into a physical confrontation, during which James Zoduwah, also known as “Block,” stabbed Abraham Nat in the left eye with a pair of scissors, resulting in Nat’s unfortunate demise.
During the incident, victim Nat and defendant James Zoduwah, along with Kelvin Cooper and Ambrose Rogers, engaged in a confrontation involving mutual stone-throwing. This conflict escalated into a fistfight between Nat and Zoduwah, which was eventually diffused by their community chairman and residents. Following this intervention, Zoduwah left the scene momentarily, only to return to the altercation armed with a pair of scissors. Tragically, he used this weapon to stab the victim in the left eye, leading to Nat’s untimely death.
Further investigation revealed that the victim’s girlfriend, Ruth, reportedly engaged in sex work and was seen with another individual, which incited Nat’s anger. This ultimately triggered the violent encounter between Nat and defendant Zoduwah.
In light of the aforementioned circumstances, along with the examination of the victim’s body, witness testimonies, medical reports confirming the cause of death, and thorough investigation, authorities have charged Defendant James Zoduwah with the crime of murder. This charge is in violation of Chapter 14, Subchapter A, Section 14.1 of the Revised Penal Code of Liberia.
Given the severity of the charges against him, Magistrate Ben Barco has invoked the appropriate legal measures. Consequently, Defendant Zoduwah has been remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison pending his court trial.