A man from Sierra Leone has been charged with stabbing his wife to death before setting fire to their home, a court has heard. Amidu Koroma, 47, is accused of murdering Mariam Kamara, 46, at a property in Railton Road, Brixton, south London.
Ms Kamara’s charred remains were found after firefighters were called to put out a blaze centred in the bedroom on January 24.
A post-mortem examination found she had allegedly been stabbed eight times, with two fatal wounds to the neck and face.
The absence of smoke in her lungs suggested she died before the fire started, it is claimed.
Koroma, who was born in Sierra Leone, was subsequently charged with arson with intent to endanger life and murder.
On Friday, his case was brought before Judge Mark Lucraft QC at the Old Bailey with the defendant absent but represented by lawyers.
The judge set a plea hearing for July 15 and remanded the defendant into custody.