Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbacke of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, has vehemently denounced the increasing crime rate that continues to hit urban areas such as Kanifing Estate and the surroundings.

The alarming trend of criminality has prompted him to make a resounding call on the youths to open their mind to the sense of attitudinal change. According to him, the constant filing of cases in courts involving youths in robbery and shop breaking especially, are about to become the order of the day, citing areas like Kanifing Estate, New Jeshwang, Bakau and Dippa Kunda as the epicenters of criminality. Senior Magistrate Mbake made these remarks, yesterday while delivering a judgment involving one Abdou Drammeh, who was standing trial on charge of arming in public place, contrary to the laws of the country.

He seized the opportunity to emphasise, in strong terms, that members of the criminal gangs operating in these places must be apprehended and brought to justice, adding that in most cases, it is the youths who are involved. These youths, he insisted, do not want to venture into activities that can help them to gain their life honourably. “It is the duty of the courts, and the law enforcement agencies to wage a holy war against these gangs of criminals,” he said.

According to him, it is a prohibited act for the accused to go armed in public (with knife), stressing that ignorance of the law cannot be considered as an excuse. He went on to say that the accused could have used the knife to commit criminal acts such as robbery; inflict serious injuries or even cause death.

In a vigorous style, Senior Magistrate Mbacke noted that residents in these areas have been left with constant fear due to criminal activities carried out by organised gangs. He then observed that in most cases, members of this group do not suffer from any disability to learn skills that would enable them to gain self- employment.” The only thing they think is to go round snatching people’s properties rather than exploiting the opportunities created by the government,” he said.

He spoke at length about the opportunities created by the present government for young people of this country to venture into, noting that the government attaches great importance to the youths. ‘‘It is high time for young people to change their attitude,’’ he indicated.

Earlier on, Senior Magistrate Mbacke, taking into consideration the fact that the accused person is the breadwinner of his family, sentenced him to a fine of D100, or in default, to serve a one-week jail term.