In Islam, the gravest sin is shirk, which means associating partners with God. Similarly, in Christianity, blasphemy is believed by the majority to be the gravest sin. One consistent aspect of both is that they represent a crime against God. However, the problem for a non-believer of either religion is that these concepts do not make sense. A disbeliever sees no harm in bowing or prostrating to an idol or in saying anything against God. In a nutshell, a non-believer cannot fathom the concept of Shirk or blasphemy being graver than corruption, dishonesty, or murder, which have immediate consequences on human life. This article is not about questioning the gravity of Shirk and blasphemy, because I am a believer and I accept that both are graver than anything a person can do. Nonetheless, despite the religious, cultural, philosophical, and geographic differences among people around the world, murder is one act that remains universally unacceptable. It doesn’t matter whether people travel by camel, automobile, or fly in rockets; murder, in any given epoch, is considered evil.
Against this backdrop, I wish to advocate for the death penalty for anyone found guilty of murder. Under any political system, whether democratic or not, murder should be punished with death and nothing less. Take a tour of the hospitals and police stations, if you may; delve into the records and examine the hiking cases of murder and the senseless reasons behind the confrontations that lead to these acts. One cannot help but feel cold. You will find yourself unlucky if you stay any longer in the police station or hospital premises, for you will witness murder victims or culprits being brought in, often young people who are barely past their fifteenth year. With so many murder cases involving such young individuals, what hope for a better tomorrow lies ahead of us as a nation? What sort of development and advancement can the country achieve in the wake of mass murder and disorder?
Admittedly, there are several approaches to coping with this menace: religious leaders may advise morality and fear of God; sociologists may opt for counseling. Security personnel may suggest stricter surveillance, and lawyers and judges may advocate for “a lifetime of imprisonment for culprits.” I will not oppose any of these measures except the last one. However, despite not opposing these measures, I would call for the death penalty for anyone who is tried legally and found guilty. My reason for advocating the death penalty for murder is the innate fear of death that exists in the heart of every human being, including the murderer. When this fear is enforced, murders will be reduced to their lowest possible rate.
Moreover, a murderer is prone to commit murder again. When such individuals are executed, their threat is eliminated. Furthermore, it is evident that a freed murderer’s life causes more pain to the family of the murdered than anything one can imagine. Unfortunately, it is an open secret that the streets are increasingly becoming populated with former murder convicts and suspects. This is a gross violation of the sanctity of human life and a call for retaliation from bereaved families. Thus, to settle the score, I call on the government and all stakeholders to address this matter and establish a “life for life” law where it is confirmed that the culprit is guilty of murder. Additionally, this should include traffic deaths that are disguised as accidents but are actually caused by reckless driving. In conclusion, I assure The Gambia and the entire world that this law will be more effective than whatever democracy has offered.
