High Court Upholds Jail Sentences for Jabang Stunt Drivers, Citing Public Safety

The High Court on Tuesday rejected appeals by three young men seeking reduced sentences for a high-profile stunt-driving incident in the community of Jabang, affirming that the nation’s roads are not “arenas for reckless experimentation.”

Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, presiding over the case, dismissed the consolidated appeals of Serign Mass Gaye, Samba Ceesay, and Muhammed Bah, upholding the custodial sentences imposed by Magistrate Isatou Jallow in August 2025.

The three men were part of a vehicle convoy engaged in stunt driving that brought traffic across Jabang and surrounding communities to a standstill, damaged multiple vehicles, and left residents in fear and distress, court records show.

Despite arguments from defense counsel Lamin A. Ceesay that the sentences were “excessive and manifestly disproportionate,” Justice Jaiteh ruled that the original judgments fell within lawful statutory parameters and reflected the “broader social reality” of rising road accidents in The Gambia.

“While the appellants are young first-time offenders who pleaded guilty, their behavior posed a serious threat to human life,” Justice Jaiteh wrote in his ruling. “The lives of innocent citizens cannot be placed at risk merely for the amusement, thrill, or excitement of irresponsible motorists.”

• Serign Mass Gaye, convicted of unlicensed and reckless driving, was ordered to pay D26,000 in fines and serve three years and three months in prison with hard labor.
• Samba Ceesay, convicted of reckless driving, received a D25,000 fine and a three-year prison term with hard labor.
• Muhammed Bah, convicted of reckless driving and unauthorized use of tinted glass, faces D25,000 in fines for reckless driving and three years’ hard labor, plus a D20,000 fine and an additional two-year term for the tinted glass violation if unpaid.

The defense argued that all three men were first-time offenders who had promptly admitted guilt, which could justify alternative punishments such as community service or suspended sentences. Counsel also noted that Gaye is a student whose future could be adversely affected by a lengthy custodial term.

Justice Jaiteh, however, emphasized that the law only allowed an appeal of sentence severity, not the convictions themselves, and that the Magistrate’s decisions were well within her legal discretion.

The ruling serves as a strong signal from Gambian courts that reckless driving, particularly in populated areas, will be met with strict legal consequences.