By: Isatou Sarr
Justice Sonia Akinbiyi of the Banjul High Court Annex has ordered the commissioner of prosecution to submit the case file in a murder trial involving one Assan Gaye accused of killing his own daughter.
“This is a case of the murder of a seven-year-old girl, and in the manifest interest of justice, the police should submit the police case file to enable the prosecution of this gruesome murder,” Justice Akinbiyi stated.
She further ordered: “In the manifest interest of justice, the commissioner of prosecution is hereby ordered to submit the case file in this matter to the prosecution for the due prosecution of this murder charge on or before the 14th of May 2025.”
The case has been adjourned to the 21 May 2025, for mention.
The matter was first filed at the Banjul High Court on February 14th, 2024, after it was transferred from the Essau Magistrates’ Court. Since then, the case has been repeatedly adjourned, with the court unable to proceed on each subsequent date.
The accused, Assan Gaye, is charged with murder, contrary to Section 187 of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume 3, Revised Laws of The Gambia 2009.
According to the particulars of the offence, Gaye is alleged to have, on or about 16 December 2022, at Kerr Sait Cham Village, Upper Nuimi District, North Bank Region, wilfully and unlawfully killed his seven-year-old daughter Mariama Gaye by hitting her with a stick all over her body, resulting in her death.
