A woman who has pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity told gardaí that she killed a man to “protect Prince William” and cut off his genitals after he died “to protect women”, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
Grace Miano (53), a Kenyan national, is charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani ‘Robert’ Mzoma (27) at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Dublin on November 1st, 2018.
Ms Miano, who is also known as Margaret Sloane, told the court she was pleading “not guilty by reason of insanity”.
James B Dwyer SC, for the prosecution, told the jury that evidence would be produced that two males went to the house on Tudor Lawns on the night of November 1st, 2018.
One of the men went into the kitchen through the back door and found Ms Miano, who said: “I have a drip in your friend; I’m a good doctor.”
Halloween costume
Mr Dwyer said the jury would hear that the accused said to the male that the deceased was lying in the sitting room in a “Halloween costume”.
Counsel said the jury would hear evidence that the male then went to the front door to let in a second male, who saw the deceased lying on his back in blood with his genitals having been removed.
Mr Dwyer said the two men contacted gardaí and told a neighbour their friend was dead inside the house.
He told the jury that evidence would be produced which shows the deceased suffered multiple wounds and suffered multiple injuries to his face, head and body.
Mr Dwyer said postmortem evidence from State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan would show that the deceased suffered stab wounds to his eyes and skull, had multiple lacerations and bruising to his body and that his genitals were removed after death.
'Protect women'
He said CCTV footage was obtained by gardaí and the house was searched on the night. Counsel said Mr Mzoma was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.35am.
The jury was told that gardaí would say a number of blood-stained knives were recovered from the house, along with a poker that was broken in two and was found next to the body of the deceased. An axe was also found in the back garden, he said.
Counsel added that evidence will be given which shows “human remains” were found by gardaí in the kitchen sink.
When interviewed by gardaí, Ms Miano alleged the deceased had raped her in her sleep and had spiked her drink. She told gardaí that she had got him drunk and attacked him with the poker before cutting off his genitals “to protect women”.
Juror 'in difficulty'
At this point in his opening speech, Mr Dwyer said he noticed one juror “in difficulty” who had stood up and moved towards the exit door to the jury room. Mr Justice Paul McDermott then gave the jury a 10-minute break before the case resumed.
Mr Justice McDermott encouraged jurors to raise their hands if there were any further difficulties, so they could be facilitated.
Resuming his opening speech, Mr Dwyer said Ms Miano told gardaí she had a conversation with God on the night of the alleged murder and that Jesus had appeared to her “out of a hole”.
Mr Dwyer said in an interview Ms Miano said she killed Mr Mzoma “to protect Prince William, a member of the British royal family”.
