Lawyer Moses Richards, who was convicted recently for sedition and giving false information, and sentenced by the Banjul Magistrates’ Court to two-years-six month imprisonment with hard labour at the State Central Prison Mile 2, has reportedly written to the head of state and begged for mercy.
The full text of Richard’s letter to President Yahya Jammeh follows:
It is with great humility, for which my family is known, that I write this letter to you. It is not my intention to bore you with copious details at this time, for I know you are a very busy person, but please graciously find time to look at this my plea for leniency.
As you are aware, the
I had no intention to disparage you, with all these events, knowing how, I have always had the impression, that you love me so much, that I now wonder, how I got into this sorry situation. Please your Excellency, your kind, generous and human heart has been enjoyed by those who had done worse things than I have, that is not to say that I have any excuse for myself at this time, but find it in your kind nature to extend, this generosity to me, as I am on my knees pleading for mercy.
Your Excellency Sir, I want to assure you that I am still Moses Richards, the patriotic citizen, judicial officer, eternally grateful for being appointed a judge while still abroad on studies, and on whom you deemed fit to bestow a national honour twice.
Right now, Your Excellency, I am seriously afflicted, that I have offended you, and that grieves me greatly, because you are like a father and a mentor. I shall never conceive in my mind to offend, however, Your Excellency, to err is human and to forgive is divine; let us turn a new life page today, and the spirit of the Ramadan that has just ended, I say to you, “balal ma achal”. My aged mother, I may not be her only child but I happen to be her very valued friend, my children who are still in their formative stages, my clients and some other people to whom I am committed in one way or the other, will join me in being eternally grateful to you, for a positive response to this plea.
Your Excellency, as much as I shall cherish your receiving this plea, I vote that it is not a forum to be as detailed, as I would have loved to, if not for anything to show that, Moses Richards is still a patriotic and obedient servant of The Gambia, with unquestionable loyalty to His Excellency the President of the Republic. I look forward, Your Excellency, to a well considered and compassionate response.Thank you very much for this opportunity.
Accept the assurances of my unflinching loyalty.
Long live the President of The Gambia, Long live the people of The Gambia, Long live the
