By: Kemo Kanyi
Balla Ceesay on December 18th appeared before principal magistrate Anna O. Mendy of Brikamacourt for allegedly killing one Ebrima Jallow.
According to the indictment filed before that court, the accused was charged with murder contrary to section 187 of the criminal codelaws of the Gambia.
Balla Ceesay was alleged to have committed the act on the 7th day of December 2023 at FoniBondali Village, Foni Jarrol District, and West Coast Region of the Republic of The Gambia. He allegedly with malice aforethought caused the death of one Ebrima Jallow by hitting him with a spanner on the head.
Responding to the allegation, Balla Ceesay said he was acting in self-defense because the deceased (Ebrima Jallow) attacked him (accused person) with cutlass and attempt to chop him. “So, I decided to first hit him with my spanner on his head before he (deceased) harms me.”
Inspector Kemo Y. Manneh, representing the prosecution, told the court that section 5 of the Criminal Procedure Code has given powers to the honorable court to hear all matters except treason. The prosecution also relied on section 62 of CPC legal notice number 3 to have the matter transferred to the High Court.
He further told the court that the allegation for which the accused person stands trial attracts life imprisonment, which the honorable court can’t pass, but the high court has the jurisdiction to pass its verdict.
Inspector Manneh again applied to the court to send the accused person (Balla Ceesay) to mile 2 central prisons pending his appearance at the High Court.
In her ruling, principal magistrate Anna O. Mendy said the applications made by the prosecution have merit and order that the matter be transferred to the High Court as the accused person will be remanded at the mile 2 central prisons before he appears for hearing at the High Court.
