Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – The High Court has convicted and sentenced 20-year-old Kemo Jobe to ten years in prison for violent robbery, delivering a verdict that balanced the severity of the crime with considerations of youth and rehabilitation.

Presiding over the case, Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh found Jobe guilty of robbery contrary to Section 272 of the Criminal Code and punishable under Section 273(2). The conviction followed a prosecution that established beyond a reasonable doubt that Jobe had attacked and robbed Lamin Touray at the Tallinding Buffer Zone in Kanifing Municipality on July 12, 2022.

Conviction Based on Witness Testimony and Physical Evidence

According to the prosecution, Jobe threatened Touray with a bottle before forcibly seizing his Huawei mobile phone. Investigations led by Bundung Police Station officer Alagie Jallow revealed that the accused later confessed to the crime, and the stolen phone was recovered in his possession—an element that proved crucial in corroborating his guilt.

Touray, an eyewitness, testified that the robbery occurred during a party and later identified Jobe both at the scene and at the police station. The defense attempted to argue that Jobe had been at his father’s workplace at the time of the incident, but this alibi lacked independent verification.

In his ruling, Justice Jaiteh emphasized that the prosecution met the high burden of proof required for a conviction. The court was particularly persuaded by the principle of recent possession, whereby an accused found in possession of stolen goods shortly after a crime is presumed to have committed the offense unless a satisfactory explanation is given.

Balancing Justice and Mercy

Although the law allows for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for such offenses, the court took into account mitigating factors. Jobe was a first-time offender, had expressed remorse, and his legal counsel, C. U. Uduma, pleaded for leniency based on his young age and potential for rehabilitation.

“My Lord, the accused is a young man of 20 years and in his prime, helping his parents. He has never been found wanting. He has learned his mistake and knows that crime does not pay but only punishes,” Uduma argued.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Jaiteh acknowledged the rising incidence of violent crimes in society and the need for deterrence. He condemned the “callous and reckless” nature of the crime but ultimately invoked Section 29(2) of the Criminal Code, which allows for a shorter sentence than the statutory maximum.

“For this reason, I hereby sentence the convict, Kemo Jobe, to ten years imprisonment,” the judge declared, adding that the sentence would commence from the date of his arrest.

The ruling sends a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated, even as the judiciary remains mindful of the potential for rehabilitation in young offenders.