Haunted by racists and cruel words uttered by her son’s suspected killer, a heartbroken mother burst into tears when the murder suspect was acquitted this week.
After a vigorous cross-examination from the defence lawyer, Sesupo Masaka the court ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to link the Bangladeshi businessman, Mohammed Jakir Hussein Molla to the death of a 12- year -old boy, Ditiro Jerry whose head he had allegedly smashed against the wall.
In response to the acquittal, the devastated mother, Milidzani Jerry said, “The law is the law I guess, there is nothing I can do, I just have to accept. I want to put this behind me, but I don’t know how or where to start. I will never forget the cruel words that were spoken by Mohammed when I went to him as a mother to ask what had happened to my son.”
DECEASED MOTHER: Milidzani Jerry
It was Jerry’s evidence in court that on that fateful day she got home to find her son with an excruciating headache and she was told by the boy’s younger brother, George Jerry who witnessed the incident, that Molla had banged Ditiro’s head against the wall five times.
“When I confronted Molla he was angry and very aggressive. ,” said the devastated mother.
The words, she said, have haunted her all these years and continue to echo in her mind every time she is forced to look at Molla.
Prosecution had argued in court that the businessman had caused Ditiro’s death by grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and slamming his head against the wall.
Six days later he landed in intensive care unit at Princess Marina hospital and a few months later he died in hospital.
George who was 9 years of age at the time was the chief witness and he had testified in court that on that day his brother was playing with Molla’s liitle child at his restaurant when the businessman realized that Ditiro had left the younger Asian boy to wander off to the road.
He said he saw a furious Molla taking Ditiro to the back room to assault him for the mistake.
“The door to the room was not entirely closed and I saw and angry Molla grab my brother by the neck and hit his head against the wall several times, ”said George.
However the defence lawyer punched holes in George’s evidence and secured an acquittal for Molla who walked out of court a relieved man on Wednesday.
“This is a very painful moment and I really don’t know how I am going to move on from this. Sometimes I see other people’s children and I wonder what would have become of my son,” said Jerry in despair.
Meanwhile the Presiding Judge, Justice Godfrey Radijeng is expected to read out reasons for acquittal on the 30th of June.