Banjul – Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has announced a ban on child marriage in the predominantly Muslim west African nation, threatening heavy jail terms for those who break the new rules. Speaking to a group of Muslim elders, Jammeh said: “From now on child marriage is illegal and is banned in The Gambia. “Anyone who marries a girl under 18 years will spend 20 years in jail. The girls’ parents would spend 21 years in jail and anyone who knows about it and fails to report the matter to the authorities would spend 10 years in jail,” he added.

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