Amidu Koroma, a 48-year-old resident of Railton Road, SE24, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 29 years for the murder of his wife, Mariam Kamara, aged 46. The verdict was delivered at the Old Bailey on Monday, 16 October, following a trial where Koroma was found guilty.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Wood, the lead investigator, described the crime as a brutal murder and an appalling act of violence against a woman. He further revealed that after killing his wife, Koroma intentionally started a fire in an attempt to cover up his heinous actions. This act not only jeopardised the lives of other members of the public but also added another layer of selfishness to an already tragic event.
Wood commended the diligent work of his officers, who conducted a thorough investigation and gathered a wealth of evidence that pointed to Koroma as the perpetrator. He expressed his condolences to Mariam Kamara’s family and friends, with particular emphasis on the support provided to her son, who continues to navigate the trauma caused by this incident.
The court heard that the murder inquiry began when the police responded to a house fire on Railton Road during the early hours of Monday, 24 January 2022. While Koroma and the couple’s son managed to escape the burning building, Mariam Kamara’s lifeless body was discovered in the top bedroom and pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities became suspicious of Koroma’s actions when they observed his minimal effort to rescue his wife, despite re-entering the house briefly to gather clothes for their son. Their suspicions deepened when they discovered a significant number of jerry cans filled with petrol in the house’s loft and detected the distinct smell of an accelerant near the victim’s body. This led investigators to suspect that the fire may have been deliberately started.
A post-mortem examination revealed that, despite extensive fire damage to Mariam Kamara’s body, she had suffered fatal stab wounds to her neck and chest before the fire was set. The absence of smoke inhalation further confirmed that she had been killed prior to the blaze.
Detectives conducted an extensive investigation, meticulously searching the property, analysing crucial evidence, obtaining witness statements, and seeking expert advice. A forensic scientist determined that the fire was likely ignited by petrol, while a consultant plastic surgeon confirmed that Koroma’s 8-9cm burn wound on his foot could only have been caused by close contact with the fire. This contradicted Koroma’s claims that he was unable to reach the room where the fire originated to rescue his wife.
Additional forensic evidence was presented in court, including the identification of Mariam Kamara’s blood on Koroma’s clothing, as well as burn damage consistent with exposure to a transient flame.
