A Lesson for All

The conviction and sentencing of Dodou Janneh for the murder of Sheriff Minteh should serve as an eye-opener to any law-breaker in this country. In delivering her judgement, Acting Principal Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara said she sentenced the accused to death in order to "deter others from doing it".

All sorts of crimes are reported to be taking place in the country almost every day. Robbery, burglary, theft, rape, murder, and obtaining money by false pretence are on the increase. The crimes are so rampant that we fear our society being overrun by crime and criminals.

About one and a half years ago, Sheriff Minteh met his untimely death in London through stabbing. The culprit is Dodou Janneh. As expected, he stood trial for his alleged crime and, unfortunately for him, he has been found guilty.

One lesson for everybody is that one cannot always get away with a crime. The law arm of the law will always catch up with one. It is a clear way of saying that we have to learn to live within the confines of the law. And that anyone who steps outside the law (outlaw) will not be tolerated.

Another lesson is that disputes should be resolved amicably without recourse to violence. The police are there to intervene in case of heated disputes. That is what they are paid to do. It is pointless getting violent when the police can easily be brought in to resolve a dispute. If Dodou had not taken the law into his own hands, he would have been a free man today.