After giving it a semblance of seriousness for a brief moment, the Barrow government has now clearly indicated that it was not, in fact, serious about prosecuting those allegedly responsible for Baby Muhammed’s death.
After few months of a seeming sham trial, Sainabou Mbye will now walk the streets of Serekunda and Banjul a free woman.
This is incredible but not to us because we saw it coming!
When we learned that Sainabou Mbye and alleged conspirators have been charged with the lesser crime of manslaughter instead of murder, we knew where all was heading to.
But is this how a serious judiciary works?
We believe one of the key roles of the judiciary is to protect lives and property as administration of the law should be rooted in the desire for deterrence.
Every life matters!
Be it that of Baby Muhammed or that of any other human being.
Meanwhile listening to an audio intercept of Sainabou Mbye following Baby Muhammed’s death, many did not even have a tinge of doubt that the death of Baby Muhammed was suspicious.
Sainabou’s explanation of the situation only reinforced widespread suspicion of foul-play as elements of murder were sprinkled all over her side of the story.
Like many others, we did not believe her story!
How can you abandon a child under your care in a sweltering vehicle for more than an hour without realizing?
It’s not only the nature of the suspected crime that hugely raised public’s suspicion of possible foul-play in the child’s death but the timing as well.
Remember, the time we were told Baby Muhammed died was the period of time the State was trying to extract blood sample from him for paternity test!
As mentioned, every life counts, including that of Baby Muhammed.
The least we’d expected from the Gambia’s High Court was the acquittal of Sainabou Mbye.
Though we are not lawyers, we believe there’s a preponderance of evidence to tie Sainabou Mbye and alleged confederates to Baby Muhammed’s death.
The acquittal of Sainabou Mbye is undeniably another obstruction to the dispensation of justice and a gross violation of Baby Muhammed’s right to a fair trial in his death.
