Fulladdu NAM calls for national debate on death penalty

The National Assembly Member for Lower Fulladu West Gibbi Mballow has said in the light of widespread public calls for the enforcement of the death penalty, in the wake of a spate of homicide cases recently, there is a need for a public debate on the moratorium placed on it.

The death penalty is still in the law books of The Gambia but since independence it was used only twice- in the 1980s when Mustapha Danso, accused of multiple murders before and during the 1981 coup plot, was executed under President Jawara, and 2012 under Yahya Jammeh when nine people were executed.

However after assuming office in 2017, President Barrow placed a moratorium on it in line with Gambia’s international commitments and law which heavily restricts its use and encourages its global abolition.

Conveying the president’s commitment to total abolishment of it in the laws, government spokesperson Ebrima G Sankareh told GRTS in 2018 that Barrow opposes death penalty as he is of the view that the law does not stop murder, manslaughter or the likes.

However, the recent spate of homicide cases in the country, with 5 recorded in June alone including the killing of former UTG student leader Yunusa Mbye, which triggered protests, calls have intensified for the government to lift the moratorium as a deterrent measure.

Speaking to The Standard on the matter, NPP Lower Fulladu West lawmaker Mballow, said: “If we believe that removing the moratorium will be a deterrent to this amount of killings, I think we can look at it and I am calling for a national debate which I am ready to lead. The wave of killings is becoming too much as life is sacred and should not be played with.”

Mballow said it behoves on all duty bearers including the executive and legislature to partake in this proposed debate stating that most of those killed are youths and warned that if nothing is done to avert the trend, no one will be safe.

He commended the police for ensuring that suspects in all these alleged killings are arrested.

Mballow explained that when he made the call for the enforcement of the death penalty in 2023, he was reached out by the National Human Rights Commission calling on him to withdraw his statement which he did. ”That is why this time round , I am calling for a national debate on the matter,” Mballow said.

Minister disagrees           
However, addressing the debate on the death penalty at a police press conference last week, Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay argued that there is no empirical evidence to suggest that the death penalty alone is a strong deterrent for people committing crimes.

He said research from countries that still enforce capital punishment shows crime continues to occur.

“When Jammeh was here people were being killed like chickens and even the state was killing people. Let’s not forget easily, crime is everywhere, there is no country without crime and The Gambia is one of the safest countries,” Minister Ceesay said. 

He contested that many of the recent fatal stabbings were impulsive acts committed in the heat of the moment rather than premeditated murders, making it unlikely that the prospect of execution would influence offenders.