The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed the appeal made by Yankuba Touray against the High Court over his murder conviction.

Mr. Touray appealed the Judgment delivered by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh on the 14th of July, 2022 in which he was sentenced to death by Hanging.

Yankuba Touray who was found guilty of murdering a former Finance Minister, Ousman Koro Ceesay, was a senior member of the military junta and was at one time a former minister of Local Government. 

After his death sentence was made known to the public, Touray then filed an appeal at the three- panel Court of Appeal seeking the Appeal Court to overturn the High Court decision of his death sentence.

During a brief argument for the adoption of an appeal to be granted, Counsel for the appellant (Yankuba Touray), A. Sissoho, urged the Court to set aside the High Court’s judgment against his client, discharge, and acquit him.

In the same vein, the Counsel for the Respondent (The State), Senior State Counsel M.B. Sowe, informed the Court that the High Court’s judgment was based on sound legal principles and supported by evidence and further urged the Court to dismiss the application filed by Yankuba Touray.

The Court of Appeal Judges led by Justice Na Ceesay Salla-Wadda, President of the Court said they agreed with the Judgment of Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court that the Prosecution proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Following the earlier submission of the brief of augments and adoption, the President of the Court of Appeal of The Gambia, Justice Na Ceesay Salla-Wadda, adopted their briefs and scheduled the Judgment for 13 December 2022. Justice Na Ceesay Sallah-Wadda dismissed and upheld the High Court decision of Justice Ebrima Jaiteh.