Gambia: A Quranic teacher sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 13-year-old boy

In Gambia, the Brusubi court sentenced Quranic teacher Muhammed Jassey to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for raping his 13-year-old student. The incident occurred at the teacher's daara (Quranic school).

According to Judge Jallow, who handed down the sentence, Mr. Jassey planned his assaults, choosing days when the boy wasn't cleaning with his group to abuse him. He also sometimes raped him early in the morning to avoid being seen, the judge added.

"Each time, he was forcibly brought back and his head was shaved in front of the other students."

Medical evidence presented in court revealed that the child, whose parents are divorced, had suffered anal penetration and had bruising.

He repeatedly tried to escape this abuse by running away from the daara. "But each time, he was forcibly brought back and his head was shaved in front of the other students, which caused him serious psychological trauma," said Judge Jallow.

Meanwhile, his tormentor made it seem as though he was running away because he was lazy. He also tried to dissuade him from filing a complaint, threatening to punish him.

10 years in prison plus a fine of 400,000 dalasis

According to Judge Jallow, Jassey went to great lengths to conceal his crime, but he was unmasked when the victim ran away from the daara for the fourth time and a medical examination was carried out.

The court determined that "the degree of culpability of the convicted man is very high and that the harm caused to the victim is considerable." The Quranic teacher was therefore sentenced to 10 years in prison, in addition to a fine of 400,000 dalasis.

The social welfare department was ordered to provide psychosocial support to the victim given her young age.