Monday, July 15, 2013

Young mother convicted over attempt to murder son


A young poverty-stricken girl clutches her child. Image from ca 1884. (Thanks to Wikipedia)

A young mother believed be in her 20s has been convicted of an attempted murder charge on Monday.

She was sentenced to three years suspended jail term with hard labour on Wednesday by the Special Criminal Division of the High Court in Banjul after Justice Emmanuel Nkea found her guilty of attempting to kill her son.

The young Gambian woman is expected to behave or else could be compelled to serve her jail term if she dares gets into trouble with the laws.

She admitted allegations of attempted murder of her new born baby boy by dumping him into a well sometime in 2012. The boy survived.

On July 10, Justice Nkea observed the social inquiry report, and found that the convict has since her detention at the shelter for children at Bakoteh shown love and care towards the victim.

A strong bond has developed between them, the judge said. The report concluded that she has greatly regretted her action and undertaken not to do that again, something that indicates that she is now a changed person, Justice Nkea added.

He also finds the young woman’s plea for mercy and her demeanor before the court as a fact that she is truly remorseful of her wrong actions.

“Considering the above as strong mitigating factors in favor of the convict, the offence with which the convict has been convicted of is punishable with up to seven years imprisonment but today (Wednesday) being the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan, I would take all the above mitigating factors into consideration,” Justice Nkea said.

He then invoke the provisions of Section 29 (2) of the Criminal Code in favor of the convict.

The convict’s ordeal followed an unwanted (teenage) pregnancy, The North Bank Evening Standard, TNBES, is told.


Written by Modou S. Joof & Sulayman Ceesay
 
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