By Lamin Njie
The high court in Banjul last week sentenced Pap Ibrahim Khalilulaye Thiam to death for killing hairdresser Fatou Loum.
Thiam was standing trial over the strangling of Fatou Loum in January 2018. The incident happened in Kololi, at the victim’s salon.
Last week, Justice Z. Jawara Alami of the High Court last week sentenced Thiam to death, The Standard newspaper reported on Thursday.
Justice Z. Jawara said she could not conclude without saying that the commission of murder in the case was international, cold blooded and brutal and very uncommon in this society, the paper added.
“A strong message must therefore be sent to curb such cold blooded acts that go against the grain of society.
“The dreadful crime committed has cut short the life of a young woman brutally, who would never know what it feels like to get married, have children and grow old, all because of a mere D800 and a Samsung Galaxy S2.
“This leaves the court wondering what kind of person the accused person is. One can only conclude that he is a psychopath,” Justice Jawara said.
“I therefore have no discretion under section 188 of the Criminal Code on reducing a death penalty sentence.
“Judicial notice is however taken of the fact that there is a moratorium on the death penalty, however I can only take notice of this as Section 187 still stands and has not been amended or repealed.
“The accused Pap Ibrahim Khalilulaye Thiam is hereby sentenced to death.”
The development means The Gambia has landed its first inmate on death row since the commutation of the death sentences of 22 prisoners on death row in May this year by President Adama Barrow
