A sober meditation on a young journalist’s difficult moment and a renewed call for responsibility, boundaries, and wisdom in navigating relationships with minors.
Author’s Note

In light of recent events involving a respected young journalist now entangled in a serious allegation, I revisit and refine a message I first shared eight years ago, a message that remains painfully relevant today.

This commentary is written not to judge, not to inflame, and not to interfere with justice, but to offer compassion where it is needed and caution where it is overdue. May truth guide the process, may justice be fair, and may every young man learn the cost of misjudgment before the law teaches it the hard way.

A compassionate reflection and an unchanging warning

The news of Mr. Kemeseng Sanneh — “Kexx” — being taken into custody over an alleged sexual offense involving a minor has shaken many who admired his work.

He is one of the country’s most diligent parliamentary and court reporters, a young activist whose voice helped illuminate the workings of our institutions.

To see him now entangled in a case involving a 17‑year‑old schoolgirl who has reportedly given birth is painful for the profession, for his family, and for the young girl at the center of the matter.

This is a difficult moment for everyone involved. A minor has given birth. A young journalist sits in custody. A family is grieving. A community is confused. And a nation is reminded that the line between promise and peril is thin.

We must allow the law to take its course. We must protect the minor’s dignity and privacy. And we must remember that allegations, however serious, are not convictions. Compassion does not obstruct justice; it simply acknowledges the humanity of all parties.

I pray that truth emerges clearly, that justice is done fairly, and that healing, in whatever form it must take, becomes possible for everyone touched by this case. Moments like this remind us why guidance, boundaries, and caution are not old-fashioned. They are lifelines.

“Fellas, be warned — a message that has not aged”

Eight years ago, I wrote an unsolicited piece of advice to young men. Today, it remains painfully relevant. The message was simple: do not gamble with your life, your freedom, or your future by engaging in sexual relationships with minors. No matter how mature they appear, no matter how consenting they seem, no matter how “grown” they act, the law does not negotiate with perception.

In The Gambia, the age of consent is 18. Below that threshold, everything becomes a legal minefield.
A 17‑year‑old may look like an adult, speak like an adult, and behave like an adult, but the law sees a child.

And once the law enters the room, everything else becomes irrelevant. Consent becomes a mitigating factor, not a shield. Ignorance becomes an explanation, not a defense. Regret becomes a lesson, not an escape.

The courts are especially firm on sexual offenses involving minors. A man may walk into the courtroom with hope, but he often walks out with a sentence. And by the time an appeal is heard, years of his life may already be gone.

This is why I once advised and still advise young men, “semesters,” professionals, and anyone navigating relationships: ask questions, verify ages, and err on the side of caution.

Do not rely on appearances. Do not rely on stories. Do not rely on assumptions. A single moment of misjudgment can alter the course of your life.
In the UK, the age of consent is 16. In the US, it is generally 18.

In many jurisdictions, consent by someone under the legal age may reduce a sentence, but cannot erase the offense. And in The Gambia, the law is clear: 18 is the threshold.

I once witnessed a case where a 17‑year‑old boy and a 16‑year‑old girl engaged in a consensual act. Both were minors. Both agreed. Both were willing.

Yet the boy was charged, tried, and convicted because the law is blind to mutual immaturity. This is not about morality. It is about legality. It is not about desire. It is about consequences. It is not about judgment. It is about survival.

Young men, protect yourselves. Protect your future. Protect your name. Protect your freedom. The world is full of opportunities; do not let one moment of misjudgment become the shadow that follows you for the rest of your life.

And to those who find themselves in trouble today, may truth guide the process, may justice be fair, and may lessons, however painful, lead to wiser paths ahead.

I send these words into the night, where the elders whisper caution and the young walk with fire in their veins. May wisdom stand beside every choice, and may those who stumble rise again with clearer eyes.

For the road remembers every footstep, and the future listens to the lessons we refuse to learn twice.
Published as part of an ongoing civic reflection on responsibility, boundaries, and the legal and moral duties owed to minors in our society.

By Alagi Yorro Jallow

©️ 2026. All rights reserved. Reproduction permitted with attribution.