Three young men were sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay fines after pleading guilty to stealing a goat valued at 6,000 dalasis in a case that drew public attention after a video of the incident circulated online.
The ruling was delivered by Magistrate A. Manneh at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, where the defendants—Ousainou Babou, Amadou Wurry Jallow and Saika Jallow—admitted to charges of conspiracy and theft stemming from the incident at London Corner earlier this month.
The case gained traction after footage of the theft was published by What’s On – Gambia. Authorities later confirmed that the suspects were arrested by officers from the Anti-Crime Unit, according to the Gambia Police Force.
Prosecutors said the three conspired on Feb. 9 to steal the animal and carried out the theft the same day, actions that violated provisions of the Criminal Offences Act. When the charges were read in court, all three entered guilty pleas. After the facts were presented, they appealed for leniency, expressing remorse and promising not to reoffend.
In delivering her judgment, Magistrate Manneh said the court was obliged to impose sentences that both punish wrongdoing and deter similar crimes, while also considering rehabilitation.
She noted that the defendants were first-time offenders and had accepted responsibility at an early stage, sparing the court a prolonged trial.
“While the court acknowledges the defendants’ willingness to take responsibility for their actions, the law must serve as both a punishment and a deterrent,” she said.
Each defendant received a mandatory six-month custodial sentence for conspiracy, along with a fine of 5,000 dalasis for the theft charge. The magistrate ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional seven days in prison. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively, requiring the men to complete their jail terms before settling the fines.
Because the owner of the goat could not be identified at the time of sentencing, the court said an order for compensation was not feasible.
Following the proceedings, the three were taken into custody and transferred to Mile 2 Central Prison to begin serving their sentences.
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