A five-year prison sentence has been agreed upon by lawmakers as the punishment for assaulting a police officer.
The Criminal Offenses Bill 2022, which aims to "revise and consolidate" the laws pertaining to criminal offenses and other related subjects, is now being considered by the Assembly.
The existing criminal code stipulates that assaulting a police officer carries a two-year prison penalty.
In order to enforce the new law, the government wants to make it clear that assaulting, resisting, or deliberately obstructing a police officer while they are performing their duties is a misdemeanor, which carries a five-year jail penalty upon conviction.
The government aimed to increase this penalty under the new law states that assaulting, resisting, or willfully obstructing a police officer in the performance of their duties is a misdemeanor and carries a five-year jail sentence upon conviction.
In order to enforce the new law, the government wants to make it clear that assaulting, resisting, or deliberately obstructing a police officer while they are performing their duties is a misdemeanor, which carries a five-year jail penalty upon conviction.
Following the reading of these provisions for approval by parliamentarians, Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta declared that crimes against police officers are grave offenses that ought not to be tolerated in The Gambia.
Credit;
The Standard
