Woman jailed over son’s death

The Special Criminal Court in Banjul Monday convicted and sentenced one Adama Gindeh to 15 years in prison with hard labour, for causing the death of her own son, Sainey Njie, by feeding him with soda at Faraba Banta village, in the Kombo East District of the West Coast Region.

According to the particulars of offence, the convicted person, Adama Gindeh, on 15 April 2011 at Faraba Banta village in the Kombo East District of the West Coast Region, caused the death of one Sainey Njie, by feeding him with soda.

Justice Emmanuel Nkea, in delivering his judgment, pointed out that in challenging the plea of the convicted person, the prosecutor paraded three witnesses and tendered five exhibits.

The judge adduced that on 18th April 2011, the convicted person arrived at the Brikama Health Centre, clamouring for help that her child had eaten soda, and the child was transferred to the RVTH in Banjul.

He added that the said soda was recovered from the convict by PW3, who tendered it in court.

Justice Nkea further stated that it was the evidence of the convict that the father of the child had denied the responsibility of being the father of the child, which disturbed her mentally, and motivated her to feed the child with three spoonfuls of soda chemical.

He said the evidence of the convict had corroborated with the evidence in the pathologist’s report, which confirmed that after feeding the child with the chemical, the child began to struggle with the pain.

The trial judge added that he agreed that the convicted person participated in the killing of the innocent and defenceless child, who could not protect himself and needed the protection of his parent, by feeding him with chemical soda.

He said there was no evidence to show that the child died of natural death, adducing further that the convict is a local manufacturer of soda, and knew the danger of soda if feed on by a human being.

“I therefore, hold that the prosecution had proven its case beyond all reasonable doubt, and find the convicted person guilty of infanticide, and not murder.

The judge in passing his sentence stated that the offence was a serious offence, as the law did not permit anybody to take the life of an innocent person, and he shall impose a heavy sentence to deter others.