A High Court in Banjul, The Gambia, has sentenced a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Moses Ukwai, to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping a seven-year-old girl.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice S.K. Jobarteh of the High Court in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.
Ukwai had been standing trial on two counts of rape under Section 3(1)(a), punishable under Section 4(1)(bb) of the Sexual Offences Act, 2013. The charges stemmed from incidents that reportedly occurred in April 2025.
During the proceedings, the court found him guilty on the first count involving a seven-year-old girl. Based on the evidence presented before the court, Justice Jobarteh sentenced the Nigerian to life imprisonment.
However, Ukwai was discharged on the second count, which involved allegations concerning an eight-year-old girl. The court ruled that the prosecution did not sufficiently establish the charge beyond reasonable doubt in that instance.
The case has drawn attention in the country due to the seriousness of the offence and the age of the victim. Legal observers say the life sentence reflects the strict penalties provided under Gambian law for sexual crimes against minors.
Authorities indicated that the full details of the witness testimonies, along with the court’s complete sentencing remarks, are expected to be officially released on Monday, March 9, 2026.
