Defendant Francis Koiyan, the man facing charges in the beating to death of his fiancée Hannah Karto, appeared in the courtroom at the Monrovia City Court on Thursday afternoon to defend the murder case.
Police have charged defendant Koiyan with murder and Aggravated Assault for killing his fiancée during a little request over a palm wine container.
The incident, according to police, occurred on March 27. 2025, in Zeor Town Community, Margibi
County, after which Koiyan fled the community.
He was later arrested on April 6, in the Louisiana Township, Montserrado County, based upon Police-tip.
Police investigative report alleges that the victim decided leaving her home in Zeor Town to go in the bush to buy her market (palm wine), but her boyfriend Francis Kolyan insisted that he was following her to wherever she goes. Kolyan claimed that Hannah was having his palm wine container, and had refused to give it to him.
The report further alleges that the defendant followed her (Hannah Karto) while she was going in the bush. While on their way, he attacked the victim and started hitting her with punches until she fell onto the ground.
When she collapsed to the ground, according to other account, the defendant tied her both hands at her back with her lapper and went away.
However, upon hearing the shouting voice of the victim in the nearby bush, marketers informed some curious-minded residents of Zeor Town that someone was heard in the bush crying for rescue.
Based on the news, some of the residents went in the bush, and in the process, found the unconscious body of the victim lying in a pool of blood.
They then decided to search for the defendant, but he was nowhere to be found.
Later, he was arrested on April 6, after in the Louisiana Township, Montserrado
County nine days following the incident.
During the investigation, Kolyan admitted to killing Hannah, but said he killed her “because she provoked me.”