Woman sentenced to death by hanging

The Special Criminal Court yesterday convicted and sentenced one Kaddy Jawla, a native of Kunting village, to death by hanging.

This was after the court found her guilty of the murder of her newly-born baby by dumping him in an abandoned well in the village of Kunting in the Central River Region in 2010.

In delivering his judgment, Justice Nkea stated that the convicted person, Kaddy Jawla, was charged with the offence of murder.

Justice Nkea further stated that the convict denied the charge, and the prosecution called one witness and tendered exhibits in support of their case, while the convicted person testified and called one witness.

The trial judge added that it was not in dispute that the accused person was pregnant, and it was also not in dispute that she had delivered, adding that Jawla in her own testimony stated that her father warned her that if she bears a child again out of marriage they would have a problem.

He said the accused person admitted in her cautionary statement that, after delivering, she wrapped the baby in an empty bag of rice and threw it into an abandoned well.

The judge added that the prosecution had proven their case beyond all reasonable doubt, and that the accused person was hereby convicted, and sentenced accordingly.

The defence counsel in his plea of mitigation told the court that the convicted person was married with three children, all of school-going age, and urged the court to temper justice with mercy.