Justice Z.N. Mboob has sentenced Ansumana Ceesay, a teacher at the time of the crime, to a 10-year custodial sentence following his conviction on two counts of rape.
Justice Mboob found that Ansumana Ceesay, who taught at Abba Bilingual School guilty of raping two girls, aged 12 and 13 at the time, who were students in Ansumana Ceesay’s Grade 3 class and also attended his private tutoring sessions.
The prosecution has charged Ansumana Ceesay with two counts of rape under the Sexual Offences Act 2013. According to the prosecution, the incidents took place in 2017 at the accused’s residence in Brufut, West Coast Region.
Prosecution stated that Ansumana Ceesay tricked the two girls into going to his house after school. He told them to drop off a bag of mangoes and wait for him to arrive while he attended Friday prayers.
When he got home, he forced them into his room. He told the girls that if they didn’t do what he said, he would make sure they failed their exams. Out of fear for their education, the girls complied, and he raped them one after the other.
The secret was kept for a year until 2018, when one of the victims finally spoke to the school authorities. When confronted, Ansumana Ceesay actually wrote an apology letter admitting to what he had done.
To prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the prosecution called eight witnesses and presented exhibits such as the medical reports documenting the physical examinations of both victims (Exhibit F), an alleged letter written by Ansumana Ceesay to the school principal (Exhibit E),
Witness PW7, the school’s headmistress, testified that she recognised the handwriting in the apology letter written to her by the accused (Ansumana Ceesay) and the voluntary statement recorded at the Brusubi Police Station (Exhibit B), which the prosecution claims contains an admission of guilt.
Also, the Testimonies from school officials indicated that when Ansumana Ceesay was initially confronted, he admitted to the conduct and begged for forgiveness, saying it’s “Satan’s work”.
Ansumana Ceesay entered a plea of not guilty, denying all allegations. In his defence, Ansumana Ceesay’s wife and a family member living in the same compound testified that they never saw the victims at the house and never heard any disturbances on that day.
His defence claims the apology letter was only written because Ceesay was promised he would not be fired or reported to the police if he complied, and Ansumana Ceesay denied that the thumbprint on the voluntary police statement was his.
Justice Mboob ordered a forensic analysis of the thumbprint. Amie Nyassi, a fingerprint expert with the Gambia Police Force, testified that her analysis confirmed the prints on the statement were indeed identical to those of the accused (Ansumana Ceesay).
After evaluating the evidence, Justice Z.N. Mboob delivered her final decision. She found that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Justice Mboob found Ansumana Ceesay guilty on count 1 of rape of one of the students and also found him guilty on count 2 of rape of the second student.
Justice Mboob described Ansumana Ceesay as someone who utilised his position of authority to target young, vulnerable students who were under his care at the time of the offences. Justice Mboob emphasised that the relationship between the convict and his victims was an aggravating factor, noting that the crimes violated the “bodily integrity, dignity, and psychological well-being” of the students involved.
“Rape is a serious and reprehensible offence,” Justice Mboob stated. “The Court is under a duty to impose a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the offence, serves as a deterrent, and affirms societal condemnation of such conduct.”
In passing the sentence, Justice Mboob emphasised the gravity of the breach of trust by a teacher toward his students. In determining the length of the prison stay, Justice Mboob weighed the severity of the crimes against Ansumana Ceesay’s personal circumstances.
While the prosecution highlighted the irreversible harm caused to the victims, the defence pointed toward mitigating factors, including Ansumana Ceesay’s status as a first-time offender and a father with young dependent children.
Under the exercise of sentencing discretion and pursuant to the Criminal Offences Act 2025, Justice Mboob handed down two 10-year sentences for Count One and Count Two. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, resulting in a total custodial term of 10 years.
Justice Mboob noted that this is a reduced sentence compared to the maximum allowed by law, balanced by the convict’s lack of prior criminal record.
The judgment extends beyond prison time, as the court invoked its inherent powers to ensure the future safety of the public. Justice Mboob imposed a ban on Ansumana once he is released, Ansumana Ceesay is permanently banned from teaching or working with any children under the age of 16.
Furthermore, Justice Mboob placed a direct mandate on the State. The Ministry of Justice has been ordered to provide and arrange comprehensive counselling services for the victims to address the long-term psychological impact of the assaults.
Ansumana Ceesay (convict) was reminded of his right to appeal if he wishes.
Source: Kexx News
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