A 56-year-old man is facing life imprisonment after admitting to the brutal murder of his wife in their home in Restalrig, Edinburgh, while their four children were present.

Momodou Bobb repeatedly stabbed his wife, Ndata Secka, inflicting at least 22 knife wounds to her face, head, neck, chest, back, arms and abdomen during the attack, which took place on 27 and 28 August 2025.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Bobb initially claimed the incident occurred during a fight and that the knife had slipped. However, he later pleaded guilty to murdering his wife by repeatedly striking her with a knife. He is expected to be sentenced at a later date.

Presiding judge Lady Haldane told the court that Bobb had admitted to the murder of his wife, describing the victim as not only his partner but also a devoted mother of four children, three of whom were his biological children and one her child from a previous relationship.

She said Ndata was deeply loved by her large family, adding that her death had caused immense grief to all who knew her. The judge further stated that, under the law, the offence carries a mandatory life sentence, with the court to determine the minimum period he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.

The court heard that the 42-year-old victim was one of 15 siblings and half-siblings. She had a child from a previous marriage before meeting Bobb, whom she married in 2015. The couple later had three children together.

In 2018, she left The Gambia to join her husband in the United Kingdom. Bobb himself had moved to the UK in 1995. The family later relocated to Edinburgh after securing a tenancy in December 2023.

On the night of the incident, police responded to a 999 emergency call reporting a domestic disturbance between the couple. Officers arrived to find Bobb at the door wearing only boxer shorts and covered in blood on his hands, chest and feet.

Inside the house, police discovered two blood-stained knives on a kitchen table. Officers attempted to revive the victim while awaiting paramedics. She was later transported to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after signs of heart activity were detected, but she died shortly after arrival.

A witness told the court they heard the victim screaming “leave me alone” and crying loudly before collapsing in the living room.

Bobb, who had previously been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and had a bandage on his throat, was reportedly only able to speak in a whisper when police arrived. He was also found to have serious injuries to his hand and was taken to hospital for treatment.

While receiving medical care, he reportedly told officers that he and his wife had been fighting and that the knife he was holding had slipped.

A post-mortem examination later confirmed that the cause of death was a deep stab wound to the neck, which severed the jugular vein.

The court has deferred sentencing to allow for the preparation of a background report.