EF Small Centre hereby commends Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court for his decision in sentencing one Essa Jobe to 20 years in prison for the rape of a 14-year-old girl. We welcome this decision not only because of the heavy sentence imposed but also the speed of the trial. We noted that the convict was charged in November 2024 and by February 2025, i.e. within 4 months, a judgment was made. Similarly, we commend the Police for the swift response to this case. What we have gathered from the media is that the convict was immediately arrested and put before the court in June 2024.
Notwithstanding, EFSCRJ remains deeply concerned at the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Gambia in which girls and women continue to be the major victims. This situation highlights not only the prevalence of patriarchy but also severe social and economic imbalance and inequalities between men and women thereby creating the environment for such crimes. We therefore concur with Justice Jaiteh, when he said in his judgment that,
“This sentence not only serves as a measure of justice for the victim but also as a powerful and unwavering message to all would-be rapists: such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated. The law will respond decisively to protect the vulnerable, enforce accountability, and ensure that those who commit such atrocious acts face the full weight of the consequences of their actions,”.
The need to strengthen the fight against SGBV cannot be over-emphasized. While we welcome this judgment and the professionalism demonstrated by both the Police and the Courts, we wish to note that there remains a backlog of SGBV cases both at the Police and the courts. Many cases are dragging, while necessary safeguards and rehabilitation for survivors are limited. For example, we are concerned about the impact of the terrible experience on this 14-year-old survivor. What support systems exist for her at her family level? Now that judgement is obtained, are there institutions and CSOs looking after the girl to provide her with the necessary psychosocial support, protect her from stigma discrimination and maintain her esteem to go through life to adulthood, safely and peacefully.
We wish to therefore call on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare to strengthen their interventions into this girl’s situation and other survivors. Similarly, we urge the Ministry to strengthen public education about SGBV as a prevention mechanism. We call on the Police to further strengthen their interventions in combating SGBV, including expediting cases, providing protection for survivors and diligently prosecuting cases successfully at the courts. To the CSOs, especially women’s rights organizations, we urge them to prioritize partnerships with relevant public institutions especially law enforcement and justice delivery institutions and intensify public awareness about SGBV for the effective protection of women and girls.