By: Dawda M. Jallow
The High Court in Kanifing has sentenced three men convicted of robbery, assault and conspiracy following a plea bargain agreement reached with the State over offences committed in Jabang Village in October 2022.
Justice Z.N. Mboob delivered the judgment on Monday after adopting an amended plea bargain agreement filed on 16 June 2026, under which the three accused pleaded guilty to all charges brought against them.
The convicts, Ousman Sowe, Abdoulie Manneh and Muhammed Jallow, faced nine counts arising from a robbery that occurred on 4 October 2022 in Jabang, West Coast Region.
Before imposing sentence, Justice Mboob said the court had considered submissions by the prosecution, defense counsel and the convicts, as well as the gravity of the offences and the mitigating factors presented.
The judge noted that the three men were first-time offenders, had expressed remorse for their actions and told the court that their time in custody had taught them valuable lessons. They also apologized to the victims and pledged to become law-abiding citizens.
The court further noted that Senior State Counsel R. Duanda informed the court that the victims had been consulted and had accepted the terms of the plea bargain agreement.
Under the sentence, Sowe was ordered to serve three years’ imprisonment on Count One and two years on Count Two. However, having remained in custody since 2022, the court deemed both custodial sentences already served. On Counts Three and Four, he was bound over to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years, failing which he would serve seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
Manneh was fined D5,000 on Count One, or in default serve one year’s imprisonment, and D3,000 on Count Two, or in default serve two years’ imprisonment. The sentences are to run concurrently. He was also bound over for two years on Count Five, with a default sentence of seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
Jallow was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Count One, which the court also deemed already served because of the time he had spent in custody. On Count Two, he was bound over to keep the peace for two years or face three years’ imprisonment with hard labour if he breached the conditions.
Justice Mboob further ordered the three convicts, jointly and severally, to compensate the victims in accordance with the plea bargain agreement. Failure to pay the agreed compensation will result in each convict serving an additional six months’ imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, the three men conspired to rob Baboucarr Njie and Demba Sanyang on the night of 4 October 2022. They allegedly threatened Njie with a knife before stealing his mobile phone, shoes and other personal belongings. They were also accused of robbing Sanyang of a bag containing cash, food items, a driver’s licence and a mobile phone.
The prosecution further alleged that the convicts assaulted Njie during the incident and were found carrying knives and scissors in public without lawful excuse. Sowe also faced a separate charge of threatening to kill Baboucarr Njie with a cutlass.
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