A police officer, Pierre Mendy, has taken his former partner, Fatou Bah, to court for allegedly subjecting their daughter to female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice that remains illegal in The Gambia.
According to the charge sheet prepared by Senior State Counsel I. Camara, Fatou Bah is accused of performing FGM on her daughter sometime in 2024 at Tawto Village, located in the West Coast Region. The prosecution alleges that she carried out the act “without lawful justification,” thereby committing an offence under Gambian law.
The case, currently before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court, was first mentioned on September 11. Fatou pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of D10,000.
Pierre and Fatou’s relationship began when he was stationed in the provinces – a brief romance that led to a pregnancy. But after their daughter was born, the pair drifted apart.
According to Pierre, it was his sister who discovered that the child had undergone FGM. Upon confronting Fatou, she allegedly denied any knowledge of the act. Pierre later reported the matter to the authorities, leading to the ongoing court case.
If convicted, Fatou faces imprisonment or a fine. The court may also consider transferring full custody of the child to Mendy.