Woman arraigned for attempted murder

A woman called Mama Jatta of Kombo Dasilameh village in the West Coast Region was recently arraigned before Justice Emmanuel Nkea at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul, charged with attempted murder.

According to the particulars of offence, on 17 July 2012, at Dasilameh Village, West Coast Region, the accused, Mama Jatta, attempted to murder her newly-born baby by dumping him into a well after delivery.

She admitted to the charge when it was read over to her, telling the court that her action was not intentional, as she was not aware of her action at the time.

Asked by the judge whether the baby was forced into her stomach, the accused stated that the baby was not forced into her stomach.

The child was one-year one-month old, she said, adding that she had another child with the father of the dumped child, but the man was not working and was not taking care of the children both of them had given birth to.

She said she was working at a school as a nanny.

Narrating the facts of the case, the state counsel explained that the incident happened on 17 July 2012, at Kombo Dasilameh village in the West Coast Region.

State counsel further explained that the accused, after delivering, dumped the child into the well and left, adding that the accused after some days complained of stomachache and was rushed to the hospital.

She further adduced that after confirming that she had delivered, she was asked about the whereabouts of the child, and she confessed to dumping the child into the well, but the child was recovered by a passerby.

The accused admitted the fact as narrated, adding that she did not even know the reason why she did that because she had other children at home.

“I am not married to the man who fathers my children and the man is in Kitty village,” she said.

In her mitigation, she begged the court for mercy and forgiveness and said it would never happen again.

She explained that her 1st child is 7 years old.

The case was adjourned till 10 July 2013, for sentencing.