Principal Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, yesterday sentenced  to death one Sulayman Bah, a Guinean national, after he had pleaded guilty to charges of murdering Mamudou Jallow, his room-mate, on September 1, 2007, in Dippakunda.

According to the police prosecution, the accused had an argument  with the deceased over the ownership of a D10 note, which was placed on a chair in the room.
The facts revealed that a bitter argument ensued between them and Sulayman's fury swiftly raged beyond control. He then picked an iron bar, which he used to hit Mamudou, leading to his gruesome death.

The charge sheet indicated that the deceased was rushed to the Serrekunda Health Centre, before he was referred to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), where he was pronounced death.
The said iron bar and seven photographs of the deceased were tendered at the court as evidence and marked as exhibits.

In his judgement, Principal Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, said crimes involving deadly assaults are rampant.  He continued that such crimes are gnawing and it will persist, unless the courts start taking drastic measures to put an end to it.

According to Magistrate Richards, crimes of such nature are strange in  Gambian society. "Unfortunately, this is introduced by foreigners from neighbouring countries. They do not appreciate our hospitality but have only brought evil to our society. Therefore, I will not have any mercy on you.

This is clearly stated in Section 188 of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume III of the laws of The Gambia, that any person who is found guilty of killing another person should serve a death sentence," he stated.