By: Fatou Krubally
Foni Kansala lawmaker Almameh Gibba on Thursday called for the return of the death penalty, arguing that capital punishment should be reinstated to help deter the rising number of homicides and violent crimes reported across the country.
Gibba made the remarks during a National Assembly debate on the growing incidence of homicide and violent crime, a matter of urgent public importance raised by the Member for Kiang East, Hon. Yaya Gassama.
Contributing to the discussion, Gibba said the country must take tougher measures if it hopes to reverse the disturbing trend of killings that has generated public concern in recent months.
“The issue of security, what we need to resurrect and put things straight is one, let’s bring back the death penalty,” he told lawmakers. “If you kill, you are killed.”
According to the Foni Kansala representative, stronger punishments would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders and help restore respect for law and order. He argued that unless decisive action is taken, violent crimes would continue to pose a threat to public safety.
Gibba also linked the security situation to broader governance and policy issues. He expressed concern about what he described as insufficient support for the country’s security services and questioned whether adequate resources were being allocated to enable them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
The lawmaker further highlighted the need for reforms within the security sector and called for stronger legal frameworks to guide the work of security institutions. He pointed to the ongoing consideration of the Immigration Bill and stressed the importance of strengthening border protection as part of efforts to enhance national security.
“We want a law that will guide our security force,” he said, arguing that reforms should go beyond discussion and be translated into concrete measures.