Woman 49 Remanded For Allegedly Beating A 16-Year-Old Causing Him Serious Bodily Harm

Photo: Ba-Ahmedou Njie (victim).

By Ousman A. Marong 

Essau Magistrate's Court presided over by the Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy has on Monday 30th January 2023 remanded one Fatou Joof of Mbollet Bah to the country's main central prison (Mile ll).

The trial Magistrate Mendy, further ordered that the accused be remanded in custody pending his re-appearance at the Essau Magistrate court on the 7th of February, 2023. Ms.

Joof, who should be between the age of 49 - 50, is a resident of Mbollet Bah in the lower Niumi District, North Bank Region (NBR), was slammed with a single count charge of assault causing serious bodily harm. 

Police prosecuting Officer Inspector Omar Manka alleged that the incident happened on Friday 20th January 2023 at Mbollet Bah village in the lower Niumi District (NBR), the accused person Fatou Joof unlawfully hits a 16-year-old boy called Ba-Ahmedou with a stick eye causing him serious bodily harm.

However, Ms. Joof, who was unrepresented in court by a lawyer succumbed to the charges when the charge was read to her in English and Wollof. "The matter came up this afternoon. 

"The charge was read over to the woman. The woman is charged with assault causing bodily harm under section 228 of the criminal code. The charge was read to her in English language and was translated into Wollof, the language she chose and understood well. She reacted and admitted assaulting the boy all over his body including his right eye and arm. A plea of guilty was recorded. The facts were narrated, pictures were tendered, a medical certificate was tendered too and all those documents were admitted in the evidence without her (Fatou Joof's), objection. The prosecution partly narrated facts and apply for an adjournment to make the victim available before the court. According to him, the victim was taken to the hospital by his mother for an appointment. Based on that and since the accused person already pleaded guilty I order for her remanded at mile ll central prison pending continuous facts narration and if possible conviction and sentencing. I have adjourned the matter to the 7th of February, 2023," said the trial Magistrate Mendy.

Woman Brutally Beats 16-Year-Old Causing Him Serious Bodily Harm

 

Photo: Ba-Ahmidu Njie (Victim)

 

By Ousman A. Marong

 

Fatou Joof, a woman believed to be between the age of 49th - 50th from Mbollet Bah, a village in the Lower Niumi District, NBR, was on Friday 20th January 2023 arrested by the Barra, police for allegedly hitting a 16-Year-Old boy by the name Ba-Ahmidu Njie with a stick on the face leaving with a third-degree injury in the eye.

 

Abie Nyan, the mother of the victim alleged that the woman (Fatou Joof), hit her son with a stick in the eye and hand-leaving her male child with third-degree injuries in the eye and on the hand.

 

"Fatou Joof is in the habit of stopping my kids to fetch water from the nearby public tap next to her compound on the highway. She has since stopped them (my kids), from fetching water from the public tap belonging to all of us (the villagers). Her only reason was that the tap is next to her compound. We (the villagers), normally pay a monthly contribution fee thus enabling us to pay for the NAWEC water bill. Before the incident occurred I reported the matter to Alkalo (village head), on several occasions. My last report to the Alkalo was when she (Fatou Joof), threatened to kill my elder daughter, Isatou Njie, in my absence. She told my daughter your life is in my hands and if you are not careful of me I will soon kill you. The Alkalo himself told me that was too much and advised me to report the matter to the police. Upon reporting the matter, the Barra, police immediately wanted to arrest her but again I intervened simply because it was the same day she (Fatou Joof), was to be wed. If I allow the police to arrest her people will assume that it was because I was not wed so I was playing grief and endless co-wife hatred on her. She's in the habit of doing such and I am with believe that she will again repeat it. It was on Friday morning, when I when to Medina Kanuma (my home village), to attend our usual "Komping" contribution and assigned my kids to fetch water before my return. As they were fetching water Fatou Joof came out of her compound to hit my son with a heavy stick on his face," explained the mother of a 16-Year-Old boy.

 

The Barra, Police arrested the woman on the complaint of Abie Nyan, the victim's mother and a native of Medina Kanuma village who is married to Baboucarr Njie in Mbollet Bah. Abie is currently divorced by Baboucarr and Fatou Joof is the current wife staying with the husband (Baboucarr Njie). Fatou works at the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources.

 

Confirming the story, the Deputy police spokesperson, ASP, Muhammed Y. Darboe, said: "Indeed the story happens. The lady assaulted the boy causing bodily harm and she is currently detained helping the police in their investigation."