By Pateh Kinteh, Serekunda, Gambia & Ebrima G. Sankareh, Raleigh, NC
The protracted trial of Madam Tabara Samba who was initially only known as a jealous husband-murderer until her trial began to reveal disturbing details of spousal abuse, has ended at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Courts a few hours ago and her punishment? Death!
Tabara Samba sentenced to death
Despite an unprecedented inundation on a rainy Tuesday morning, every square meter of the courtroom was filled and numerous others stood outside-on the windows, on the rotunda and some in the rain to get a rare glimpse of Madam Samba and hear what sentence the trial Magistrate had for her. After a boring sentencing hearing, replete with constitutional references, Pa Harry Jammeh prescribed death as the ultimate remedy. The police prosecutors, argued Jammeh, have established beyond a shadow of doubt, that Ms. Samba 43, had intentionally killed her 49-year-old husband Ebrima Nyan without due regard to human life and under Gambia’s Criminal Procedure Code; Sections 19(2), 19 (3) and 19(8), Ms. Samba has been found guilty in the first degree and sentenced to death.
In her plea of mitigation, defence attorney Amie Joof-Conteh who, with colleague Lubna Farrage had entered into Ms. Samba’s defence pro bono, portrayed their client as a reputable community leader in the Old Jeswang area, a good housewife who was only acting out of a well founded fear for her life; a life that has for three years, been subjected to horrendous spousal abuse and battery by a drug addicted husband. The defence asked that the court temper justice with mercy and take into consideration that Ms. Samba’s case mirrors the spousal life of numerous Gambian women who are subjected to spousal abuse sanctioned by norms and cultures that relegate women to the depths of servitude.
Magistrate Jammeh said that while the defense’s mercy plea was touching, there was evidence aplenty before the court, that Ms. Samba had no love, no regard for human life and was potentially, a threat to everyman. My hands are tied under section 19(8) and death is the ultimate penalty argues Magistrate Jammeh.
Tabara Samba’s twisted legal saga, a Romeo- like roller coaster that began after her 49-year old husband succumbed to death on March 17th. following a mysterious fight on March 7th. 2007 saw the withdrawal of her first defence attorney, the testimonies of ten witnesses from the police, medical profession and her own sibling. During the trial, the court heard that before their turbulent marriage, the Romeos had met at Bakau’s Fajara Bar & Restaurant where Nyan a divorce' to four women and a returnee from Sweden had expressed interest in a romantic relationship with the Senegalese madam. A combination of charm, interest and hope led to a romantic relation and to a memorable marriage in 2004. However, from Ms. Samba’s eyebrow raising testimonies, it appeared that soon after the knot was tied, she was in an up-hill battle with a diabetic husband who was addicted to Marijuana and night after night, she was pummeled in unending sprees of domestic violence. The crescendo of her alleged spousal battery was the fateful night of March 7th. 2007 when she poured hot oil on her husband who was asleep. According to Ms. Samba’s testimony that night was the last straw; that after severe beating, she was asked to cook potatoes and while she was cooking, the husband always arrogant and highly impatient about the delay got back to her and began the routine pummeling.
To the contrary, the police prosecutors depicted a terribly jealous wife with a reckless disregard for human life. That the intention to kill the late Ebrima Nyan was based on suspicion that her husband was about to marry a second wife and her brutal act, a damning indictment of polygamy in a society where it is sanctioned by Islam.
Tabara who wept profusely throughout much of the trial as she recounted the disturbing scenes of spousal abuse and battery remained calm and calculating as the sentence of death was passed. It remains to be seen if her defence team will appeal the sentence of death in a case that has attracted more media frenzy than most other domestic cases of recent memory.
Diplomatic News Update
Bai Ousman Secka Replaces H. E. Dodou Bammy Jagne
Barely two weeks after we reported in a lead that Gambian Ambassador to the US, Dodou Bammy Jagne was to return home to join a Libyan funded bank, numerous readers have called expressing misgivings about the authenticity of our story (Echo Edition Sept. 16th. 2007). Yet again, we are please to report to our esteemed readership that Bai Ousman Secka, Permanent Secretary Foreign Affairs is the new Gambian Ambassador to Washington. Dodou Jagne is to return home as Deputy Managing Director of the new Libyan bank, the Bank of Sahel for Commerce & Investment (BSCI). And who says we cannot do the job?All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this article or any other article or image, or portions thereof, in any form or context without the expressed permission of The Gambia Echo Newspaper.