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Gambia: Woman Burns Neighbours With Iron

Fatoumata Ceesay, a resident of Serrekunda London Corner, was on 25 May 2007 charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, as she had burned the bodies of Sainabou Koroma and Sainab Sabally with a local pressing iron. Both victims were her neighbours.

She pleaded guilty before Magistrate Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

According to the facts read by Prosecutor 1748 Mballow, on 16 May 2007, the son of the accused and Sainabou’s son were playing football and the accused heard her son crying. Prosecutor Mballow said the complainant, Sainabou, came out and gave the football to the son of the accused. He stated that the accused was irritated and told the complainant that she should not have separated the children. He added that the complainant reported the matter to the police, which led to an exchange of insults. After they were separated, the complainant turned her back while the accused pressed a hot local pressing iron on the complainant’s shoulder.

According to the prosecutor, the accused also pressed the iron on the body of the complainant’s sister Sainab, who held her nephew.

At this juncture, the local pressing iron was tendered and admitted as an exhibit.

In her mitigation, the accused begged the court to temper justice with mercy, pleading that Satan misguided her.

Magistrate Richards rejected her claim that Satan was responsible for her action but added that he would not send her to jail because of the baby she was carrying. He therefore fined her the sum of one thousand dalasis, or serve three months in prison.

He also ordered her to pay a compensation of one thousand dalasis to each of the complainants. Alternatively, she will have to serve three months’ imprisonment, which is to run concurrently.