By Nicholas Bass
Magistrate Agi Bintou Faal, of the Brikama Magistrate’s court on Tuesday sentenced a 22 years old lady Wuday Ceesay of Brikama New Town to a fine of five hundred thousand dalasi (D500,000) and compensation of one hundred thousand dalasi (D100,000) for causing injuries on one Binta Bayo of Brikama contrary to section 214 of the Criminal Code Cap 10 volume 3, Revised laws of The Gambia 2009.
According to the particular offence filed before the court against the 22-year-old lady, Wuday Ceesay on the 31st July 2022, stated that at Brikama Jokor night club, West Coast Region of the Republic of the Gambia Wuday Ceesay unlawfully assaulted one Binta Bayo by tearing her with a razor blade all over her body causing her injuries, thereby committed an offence. The accused pleaded guilty and asked for mercy from the court.
However, the case was mentioned on Tuesday and following the accused plea of guilty, the presiding Magistrate decided to pass judgement and fined Wuday Ceesay guilty.
Persecutor, Corporal 5099 Ngum told the court that, the accused Wuday Ceesay assaulted Binta Bayo on the 31st July 2022 at 23:00 hours at Brikama Jokor nightclub and accused the victim of sitting with one Alieu Saidkhan, her boyfriend (lover).
She further told the court upon arrival the accused, Wuday Ceesay removed a razor blade and cut the victim’s body which resulted in serious injuries.
Corporal Ngum noted that the pictures of the incident were taken by Sargent Sabally and the victim, Binta Bayo was taken to Brikama hospital where she was treated and discharged.
‘’I am tendering six (6) pictures, health certificate and the clothes of the victim to the court as exhibits of this case, ‘’ Officer Ngum told the court.
Magistrate Agi Bintou Faal admitted the six pictures as exhibit A1, the medical certificate as P1 and the clothes of the victim as P2. ‘’I plead to the court for the accused, Wuday Ceesay, to compensate Binta Bayo for materials lost and the injuries sustained’’, Ngum requested.
At this juncture, magistrate Agi B . Faal granted the plea of officer Ngum, saying that is in line with section 24 (1) and section 31 of the Criminal Court Code for the accused, Wuday Ceesay to compensate Binta Bayo with one hundred thousand dalasi and in default she will serve one-year imprisonment.
Magistrate Faal noted that the accused, Wuday Ceesay was sentenced under section 214 of the Criminal Code which states that, “a person who unlawfully does genuine harm to another commits a felony and is liable of conviction to imprisonment for seven years.
Due to the plead of the accused for mercy to the court and as first time offender, the court has dropped the gravity of the offence by 60% and I hereby invoke section 31 of the Criminal Code and I give the convict an option to pay a fine of D500,000.00 (five hundred thousand dalasi) considering the nature of the harm inflicted on the said victim and in default of the payment she will serve three (3) years imprisonment instead of seven years as provided by the Criminal Code section 214’’, magistrate Faal stated.