Gambiaj.com – (Kanifing, The Gambia) – Principal Magistrate Isatou Sallah Mbai of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of Bakary Saidy Bah, a 72-year-old man, to Mile 2 Central Prison for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl (name withheld).

In a ruling delivered Tuesday, Magistrate Sallah Mbai also ordered the transfer of the case to the High Court in Banjul, citing her court’s lack of jurisdiction to proceed with the matter. The decision was based on the gravity of the charge, which carries a potential life sentence if the accused is found guilty.

Bakary Saidy Bah is charged under section 3(2)(bb) of the Sexual Offences Act 2013, which deals with rape. According to the particulars of the offence, Bah allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor sometime in April within the Kanifing Municipality.

Police Prosecutor Inna Jallow, representing the Inspector General of Police, informed the court that the nature of the offence and the severe punishment it entails necessitated the application for the accused’s remand at Mile 2. Prosecutor Jallow emphasized that, upon conviction, the charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

In her ruling, Magistrate Sallah Mbai acknowledged the prosecution’s submission regarding the court’s lack of jurisdiction over cases with potential life sentences. Consequently, she remanded Bakary Saidy Bah to Mile 2 Central Prison pending the transfer of the case to the High Court in Banjul, where it will proceed.

The case highlights the ongoing efforts to address serious sexual offences in The Gambia, with authorities stressing the importance of ensuring justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable under the law.