MONROVIA – A tragic tale of domestic violence has ended in a courtroom conviction, as Bill Jallah was found guilty of murder, aggravated assault, and criminal attempt to commit murder by the Criminal Assizes Court “B” of the First Judicial Circuit, Montserrado County.
According to the final judgment handed down by Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh, Sr., the events leading to the gruesome murder of Princess Zou Wesseh began on the evening of Saturday, December 21, 2024. The indictment revealed that Bill Jallah, driven by rage and disregard for human life, stabbed the victim multiple times with a silver knife, targeting various parts of her body.
What began as a series of disturbing incidents took a deadly turn. Court documents stated that prior to the killing, Bill Jallah had visited the victim’s workplace in Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia, on two separate occasions. His disruptive and aggressive behaviour was reported to the victim’s father, which led to family intervention.
Responding to her distress call, the defendant’s sister, Komassah Jallah, arrived on the scene and attempted to mediate. She eventually convinced the pair to follow her to a neutral venue in hopes of settling the dispute. They proceeded to Fast Nickel, a popular entertainment center on Duport Road in Paynesville.
However, instead of calming down, the defendant grew more violent. An argument erupted when Jallah accused the victim of going out without his consent the night before. Witnesses say he demanded her belongings, including her phone and handbag. As she tried to walk away, Bill Jallah followed her closely, preventing her from leaving.
Then, in a horrifying act, he drew a silver knife from beneath his clothes and launched a brutal attack. He stabbed her multiple times, inflicting fatal wounds on her chest, left arm, left side, and back. The court described the attack as one carried out with “extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
The prosecution presented detailed testimony and forensic evidence, leading to the defendant’s conviction. The brutal nature of the crime, committed in a public place, has left many in shock and mourning.
This tragic case highlights ongoing concerns around gender-based violence and the failure of some interventions to prevent escalating abuse.
However, the Defendant’s legal team attempted to avoid full trial proceedings by submitting a Plea Bargaining Petition earlier on August 19, 2025.
In the petition, the Defendant acknowledged awareness of the charges, affirmed that he had no prior criminal convictions, and stated his willingness to accept a plea agreement given the circumstances. But the court refused to adopt the plea deal.
The presiding judge emphasized that a trial court is not bound by a plea agreement, particularly when the accused faces capital charges such as murder. The court noted that the prosecution, while not objecting to the plea application, confirmed the Defendant was indicted for first-degree murder a non-negotiable offense.
The plea was formally rejected. The court ordered the indictment to be read aloud and the Defendant to be properly arraigned. Initially pleading guilty, the court overruled this and entered a “Not Guilty” plea on the Defendant’s behalf, triggering a full trial.
To aid its analysis, the court cited the 2012 Supreme Court case of Wilson Darpul vs. His Honor Williams, in which Justice Kabineh Ja’neh described murder as “a hideous crime condemned by every civilization and faith of persuasion.” He noted that life is “the most precious gift bequeathed to humanity,” and its loss represents an irreplaceable void that no scientific or human ingenuity has been able to restore.
Justice Ja’neh’s argument was used to reinforce the notion that murder is not only a legal violation but a profound moral and philosophical breach — one that warrants the strictest form of accountability. He emphasized the irretrievability of lost life, stating that society must uphold the duty to preserve it, and that any violation of this duty demands severe consequences.
According to the New Penal Code of Liberia (1976), Section 14.1, a person is guilty of murder if they: – Purposely or knowingly cause the death of another human; or – Cause death under conditions that show extreme indifference to human life, especially if the act is linked to felonies such as armed robbery, kidnapping, or rape.
The Penal Code classifies murder as a first-degree felony, punishable by either life imprisonment or the death penalty, as stipulated in Sections 50.5 and 51.3.
The case has sparked legal debate across the country, especially regarding the court’s authority to accept plea.
Testimonies from state witnesses were described as “corroborative beyond reasonable doubt.” The court cited the landmark case Toopoh v. Republic (1970) to underscore that “the act and conduct of the accused, and other circumstances, may be used to determine malice, premeditation, and deliberation.”
In reaching the final judgment, the court also referenced Francis Lewis v. Republic, stressing that a valid conviction must be based on 1. A properly framed indictment; 2. Legally presented evidence; and 3. Proof beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ruled that all these criteria were met in the trial of Bill Jallah. Furthermore, the judgment emphasized that murder, as defined under Liberia’s New Penal Code, is a felony of the first degree, punishable by death or life imprisonment.
In its Final Ruling, the court declared that “Defendant Bill Jallah is hereby adjudged guilty of the crimes of Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, and is sentenced to LIFE IMPRISONMENT.”
The Clerk of the Court has been instructed to issue a formal mandate to the Superintendent of the Monrovia Central Prison to immediately enforce the sentence.