Sentencing Date Adjourned for South African Woman Found Guilty of Murdering Her Three Daughters

Sentencing Date Adjourned For South African Woman Found Guilty Of Murdering Her Three Daughters

The sentencing date for 41-year-old South African woman, Lauren Dickason, who was convicted of murdering her three daughters in September 2020, has been delayed until next year, according to reports from New Zealand media.

Dickason was found guilty in August for the murder of her two-year-old twins, Maya and Karla, and her six-year-old daughter, Liane, at their family home in Timaru, New Zealand. Initially scheduled for December 19, her sentencing date has been adjourned without a specific date set, as reported by The Press.

Although the sentencing has been postponed, Dickason’s case will appear in court again in February. During her five-week-long trial, her mental health was extensively examined, and she was ultimately found guilty of three counts of murder by 11 out of the 12 jurors.

Lauren Dickason, a former medical doctor from Pretoria, arrived in New Zealand with her husband Graham and their three children on August 28, 2020. However, tragedy struck on September 16 when she smothered her three young children to death.

Dickason admitted to the killings but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and infanticide, with her defence presenting expert witnesses and testimonies from those close to her in support of her plea.

The prosecution in the trial aimed to establish that Dickason acted with intent. Throughout the proceedings, her challenging journey to motherhood, including 17 rounds of IVF and the loss of a baby, played a significant role in the defence’s arguments.

While Dickason has garnered a growing number of supporters, particularly women from around the world who have sent messages of hope and support, her contact with them has been restricted. Currently held at the Hillmorton mental health hospital, Dickason was reportedly barred from sending or receiving letters, according to her supporters and reports from Stuff.NZ.

The adjournment of the sentencing date prolongs the legal proceedings surrounding this tragic case, leaving many awaiting the final outcome and the justice that will be served.

 

Source: Independent Online SA

German Court Sentences Gambian Death Squad Member to Life Imprisonment for Crimes Against Humanity

German Court Sentences Gambian Death Squad Member To Life Imprisonment For Crimes Against Humanity

In a historic verdict, a German court has sentenced a member of a Gambian death squad to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity and other charges. The trial marked the first prosecution in Germany for abuses committed under former President Yahya Jammeh’s regime.

The individual, known to the media as Bai Lowe but identified as Bai L. by the German justice system, was found guilty of crimes against humanity, murder, and attempted murder in three cases. The court in Celle, located in northern Germany, delivered the verdict following the public prosecutor’s request.

The 48-year-old man was specifically convicted of participating in murders that took place in Gambia between 2003 and 2006, including the killing of AFP correspondent Deyda Hydara on December 16, 2004.

Bai Lowe served as a driver for the “Junglers,” a Gambian death squad established by the government in the mid-1990s to intimidate or eliminate opposition figures.

During a hearing in October 2022, the defendant denied any involvement in the crimes, as stated by his lawyer. The defence pleaded for his acquittal, but the court rejected these arguments.

Germany’s recognition of universal jurisdiction for serious crimes under international law enabled the trial to take place on its soil, regardless of the accused’s nationality or the location of the alleged crimes. The country has previously convicted individuals for atrocities committed during the Syrian civil war.

The specific charges against Bai Lowe included involvement in the attempted murder of lawyer Ousman Sillah, the murder of Deyda Hydara, the attempted murder of Ida Jagne and Nian Sarang Jobe (who worked for the newspaper co-founded by Hydara), and the murder of former Gambian soldier Dawda Nyassi.

Deyda Hydara himself claimed to have falsely accused himself of acts he did not commit, aiming to expose the cruelty of Yahya Jammeh’s regime (1994-2017). However, the court deemed this line of defence implausible, and the civil parties expressed their disappointment with Bai Lowe’s statement.

The verdict in Celle serves as a warning to others who committed crimes under the dictatorship, according to the victims’ relatives and NGOs. Reed Brody, a lawyer with the International Commission of Jurists working with the victims, stated, “The long arm of justice has caught up with Bai Lowe in Germany, as it is already catching up with Yahya Jammeh’s henchmen around the world and will hopefully also catch up with Jammeh himself.”

Parallel proceedings against Jammeh’s collaborators are ongoing outside of Gambia, including the trial of Ousman Sonko, former Minister of the Interior, in Switzerland since 2017 for crimes against humanity. Additionally, Michael Sang Correa, another individual associated with Jammeh, is set to stand trial in the United States.

While Yahya Jammeh resides in Equatorial Guinea, a country with no extradition agreement with Gambia, the Gambian government has initiated efforts to address the crimes committed during his 22-year dictatorship. In collaboration with the Organization of West African States, Gambia announced plans to establish a tribunal to prosecute the crimes of the former dictator.

The pursuit of justice for the victims of the Jammeh regime remains a significant challenge for President Adama Barrow, who assumed office following a surprise victory in the 2016 presidential election.

 

Source: Africa News