Kumba Sinyan Opens Defense, Reveals Being Raped by Her Uncle at 16, and Struggles with Deceased Ex-Fiance

By Landing Ceesay 

In her murder trial defense, Kumba Sinyan detailed the nature of her relationship with her deceased ex-fiance, Momodou Lamarana Jallow.

Kumba Sinyan, a budding entrepreneur, faces a murder charge under Section 187 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Gambia 2009. The prosecution claims that on September 14, 2022, at The Friendship Hostel in Bakau, Sinyan intentionally caused Jallow’s death by inflicting a fatal abdominal injury, punishable by death under Section 188 of the Criminal Code.

Testifying in her defense, Kumba shared that she was born on February 21, 1997. She recounted losing both her parents early in life—her father in 2004 and her mother in 2011—and being raised by her grandmother, Mam Tuti Jeng.

Kumba’s testimony revealed a harrowing period in her life when she lived in Ziguinchor, Senegal, with her late mother’s brother, Alassana Sonko. She described enduring physical and sexual abuse at his hands, including being raped at the age of 16. The abuse led her to flee back to the Gambia without confiding in her grandmother about the ordeal.

“I regretted going to Ziquinchorr. I went to the extent that didn’t even believe in myself. Because I don’t have anyone to talk to. I did not even tell my Grandma that I was raped by my uncle,” She told the court. Kumba testified that upon returning to the Gambia, she helped her grandmother with her business, attended Malick Mendy Tailoring Shop to acquire skills, and later secured jobs at Paradise FM and Elite Fitness. She eventually started her own food processing and catering business, thanks to support from her aunt.

“From there I had my own business. I was doing food processing and catering. From 2018 to 2019, I was trying to start my business. But at that time I used to be at my Aunt’s workshop. She assisted me to register at the trade fair. When I had a stall at the trade fair, I used to be there with my cousin Mainuna Njie,” Kumba testified. 

Kumba shared in her testimony that prior to each trade fair, all stall owners are required to collect their identification cards from the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) as proof of their participation.

She further stated that when they were due to collect these cards, a group of men, claiming to be GCCI representatives, arrived to photograph them for the cards. Among these men was her late ex-fiancé, Momodou Lamarana Jallow.

Kumba revealed to the court that her initial encounter with Jallow took place during this event in 2019.

“What kind of relationship do you have with him (Momodou Lamarana Jallow) before a romantic relationship?” Counsel Sagar Twum, Kumba’s Lawyer asked her. 

“We were friends before starting a romantic relationship. We were friends for almost 2 years before starting a romantic relationship. We started our romantic relationship when he (Momodou Lamarana Jallow) started asking me out,” Kumba Sinyan responded. 

When asked whether she was in a romantic relationship with someone else before the late Momodou Lamarana Jallow, Kumba responded in the positive. 

“Yes, I was in love with someone else. It was a serious relationship. His name is Mass Mbye, he lives in England,” Kumba told the court. 

“Now Let’s talk a little bit about your relationship with Lamarana (victim), how was it when you first started.?” Counsel Sagar Twum asked. 

“It was a very normal relationship and we don’t have any problem,” Kumba responded. 

“What is your personality?” Counsel Sagar Twum asked Kumba. 

“I am humble and down to earth. I like cracking jokes with people. I don’t have any violence record in my life,” Kumba asserted. 

Kumba informed the court that her late ex-fiancé, Lamarana Jallow, resided in Brusubi, near the Brusubi Police Station, along with his Aunt Sally and roommate Alhagie Sonko.

She also shared about the difficulties they faced in their romantic relationship. Kumba stated that while their relationship started off well, it soon became fraught with misunderstandings.

She attributed these misunderstandings to a lack of trust between her and the late Lamarana Jallow.

“Why don’t you trust him?” Counsel Sagar Twum asked Kumba. 

“Because what he used to tell me and what I used to see are totally different. We used to share passwords. I used to have access to his phone. I used to go through his phone and he used to go through my phone. There were some messages in his phone that I saw, but when I asked he did not tell me the truth. 

“The kind of messages I saw, are the romantic messages between him and other women. So I felt like he was having something with those women he was chatting with. I concluded that he was having an affair with other girls. This happened many times,” Kumba Sinyan told the court. 

Kumba Sinyan conveyed to the court that in the early stages of their relationship, Lamarana Jallow was a person of honesty. However, as their relationship progressed, his truthfulness diminished.

She further expressed that once Lamarana Jallow became aware of the depth of her love for him, he began to act on his own whims without consideration for her feelings.

“Sometimes he (Lamarana Jallow) will just decide to come to my house without telling me. And sometimes we would be on the phone talking but he would not tell me that he was coming to my house. We had a neighbour by the name of Ebrima Njie, he (Lamarana Jallow) thought that I was having an affair with that man. He once met Ebrima Njie and confronted him about it. When he left that was the time Ebrima Njie told me that Lamarana was threatening him, because he thought I was having a relationship with Ebrima Njie,” Kumba Sinyan told the court. 

Kumba further told the court that since then, the late Momodou Lamarana Jallow has been threatening her about it. 

“He (Momodou Lamarana Jallow) just sat and turned into another person and said I was cheating on him,” Kumba told the court. 

On having sexual intercourse with Lamarana Jallow, Kumba Sinyan told the court it happened during a trade fair. 

“It was during the time of the trade fair. Lamarana and I used to have sex without a condom,” Kumba said. 

Kumba Sinyan shared in her testimony that she became pregnant as a result of multiple instances of unprotected sexual intercourse, which she realized after missing her menstrual cycle.

Upon noticing the absence of her monthly period, Kumba decided to purchase pregnancy testing kits from a pharmacy to confirm her suspicions.

“I went to a Pharmacy for a pregnancy kit and bought two test kits. when I went home I used one and conducted a pregnancy test and it was positive. It shows that I was pregnant. Then I called Lamarana and explained to him. But he did not believe me. I then took a picture of the pregnancy test kit and sent it to him but he still did not believe it. 

“Then I took the two pregnancy test kits and went to his house and used the other one in the toilet and showed it to him that it was positive. Before using it I showed it to him and after using I showed it to him as well. I told him that I wanted to maintain the pregnancy because of the love I had for him. He used to tell me that he didn’t want to have a child at that time,” Kumba testified. 

Kumba claimed that the deceased Lamarana Jallow had been unfaithful to her, engaging in an affair with a woman named Fatou Colley.

According to her, Fatou Colley had been expecting Lamarana Jallow’s child; however, the pregnancy was terminated.

“He (Lamarana Jallow) was cheating on me with one Fatou Colley. Through their messages, I saw a message where she told Lama that she missed their unborn child. Lama replied that ‘Sorry that was the only thing we could do.’ Meaning that she was pregnant for him but then had to abort it,” Kumba testified. 

Kumba recounted that after leaving the trade fair, she accompanied the now-deceased Lamarana Jallow to his residence. There, he took a shower before they both settled down for a conversation.

She testified that during their discussion, Lamarana Jallow inquired about her intentions concerning the pregnancy.

“I told him that I would like to carry the pregnancy but I would not want my family to know about it. He (Lamarana Jallow) asked if that was what I wanted and I told him yes. He said he is not ready to have a child but we can marry on the pregnancy and then if I give birth we can break up and then remarry again. I agreed to that,” she said.

Kumba testified that she told Lamarana that what Fatou Colley did, she will not do that. 

“I realized that he (Lamarana Jallow) was the one who made Fatou Colley to abort the pregnancy. He did not ask me to abort the pregnancy, but the way he was talking, I knew he wanted the same thing with me,” Kumba testified. 

Kumba informed the court that when she was discussing the pregnancy with Lamarana Jallow, his roommate, Alhagie Sonko, was absent.

“After the conversation, I took off the shirt I was wearing because it was very hot and I laid down. Then Lama got up and lay on top of me and told me that he wanted to have sex with me. But I told him that I was tired and that I was not in the mood for sex, but he started using force. When he tried to have sex with me and I refused, he started using force and then slapped me,” Kumba testified.

“After slapping me, he tried to remove my pants as I was wearing three-quarter trousers. He held my neck and then started punching my face. I was lying on the chair, and he was on top of me. I told him Lama don’t you pity me I am tired. After I told him to wait let me get up and undress. When I got up there was a coffee cup, as I was trying to get up, my leg kicked the coffee cup and it broke,” Kumba testified. 

Kumba stated that upon rising, she had to fix her disheveled wig and questioned Lamarana if he felt no compassion for her.

She testified in court that, despite her appeals, Lamarana began to repeatedly strike her in the stomach while she was carrying a child.

“Then his roommate Alhagie Sonko came out. Alhagie was speaking in Mandinka, and Sally and Baye Faal were standing at the window. They were telling Lama to leave me. But Lama refused to let me go. Then Alhagie tried to separate us. After that then Alhagie opened the door,” she testified. 

Kumba conveyed to the court that in the early stages of her relationship with Lamarana Jallow, it was some time before they initiated sexual intimacy.

She recounted that on the first night when Lamarana Jallow expressed his desire for sexual relations, she began to weep and declined his advances.

Kumba affirmed that when Lamarana Jallow inquired about her refusal, she responded that she was unable to discuss it.

“When I left for home, he called me and asked what was wrong, I explained what my uncle did to me and he asked me to tell my family members or sue my uncle but I told him no I could not,” she said. 

The case was adjourned to 4th of July 2024 for continuation.