The Supreme Court of The Gambia presided over by  Chief Justice Hassan Jallow could not deliver  judgment in the criminal appeal cases involving Baba Galleh Jallow and Samba Dora Bah after the court learnt that they had already been released on a presidential pardon.

Jallow and Bah were sentenced to death by the high court in Basse after they were found guilty of robbery with violence and the murder of one Alhaji Bagally Touray.

They were convicted on four counts of conspiracy to commit felony, robbery with violence and murder.

They were found guilty of murdering Touray at Gilda Village in Kantora District of Upper River Region during a violent attempt to steal cash from his safe on 8 July 2004.

Jallow and Bah’s appeal at the Court of Appeal was dismissed and their death sentences affirmed. They then went to the Supreme Court and after all the parties in the case advanced their legal arguments and exchanged briefs of arguments, the court set the date for judgment to yesterday, 5 June 2023.

But when the matter was called, a Prison Services officer announced that the appellants were among five prisoners on death row accorded presidential pardon last month.

Consequently, the matter was adjourned to today for the state counsel to furnish the court with the information containing the proclamation of the presidential pardon relating to  Jallow and Bah.

By Bruce Asemota