|
Momodou
Denmark
11765 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2007 : 13:26:56
|
AZIZ TAMBA'S ACCOMPLICES SENTENCED
By Yaya Bajo
Following the conviction and sentencing of Aziz Tamba by the court, over charges of theft and the holding of unlicensed fire arm, two of his co-consipirators, Bakary Jassey and Omar Sanneh, were both brought before Magistrate Moses Richards of the Bundung Magistrates' Court, charged for having unauthorised fire arm contrary to Section 8 of the laws of The Gambia. The accused persons changed their plea of not guilty to guilty.
Narrating the fact before a crowded court room, prosecuting officer, 870 Touray, explained that the offence happened during the detention of Aziz Tamba (1st accused); that a search was conducted in his (Aziz) house and a pistol with eight (8) live rounds were found. According to 870 Touray, Aziz Tamba told the investigators that he got the fire arm and ammunition from one Bakary Jassey, an Immigration officer posted at Ndunku Kebbeh. Touray added that Bakary Jassey was then arrested and during interrogation, he (Bakary) revealed that he only negotiated the selling of the fire arm between Aziz Tamba (1st accused) and Omar Sanneh (2nd accused). The prosecutor added that the pistol was sold to the first accused (Tamba) at a price of D5, 000 and Bakary Jassey (3rd accused) was given a commission of D1000.
870 Touray further adduced that the second accused, Omar Sanneh, was also arrested who claimed to have received the pistol from one Njaka Sanneh of New Yundum who is no where to be seen.
At this point, the presiding Magistrate, Moses Richards, ruled that upon the accused persons own plea of guilty, they have been convicted for the offence of having unauthorised fire arm contrary to Section 8 cap 121 of the laws of The Gambia. In his plea of mitigation on behalf of the two accused persons, Lawyer Edu Gomez, counsel for the defendants, said any criminal offence is a serious matter and that is why the legislature has taken a decision to include it in a catalogue of laws. He added that for the protection of the society and the rehabilitation of the offenders, the magistrate should take into consideration that both accused persons are relatively young and they have no pre-criminal record at all. "I urged your worship with all the persuasion and consideration to temper justice with mercy, by not imposing a custodial sentence on them, and also to be lenient in your fine," he mitigated.
In handing down the verdict, Magistrate Richards posited that both accused have been service personnel before and they know the laws governing the possession of unlicensed fire arm. He accordingly sentenced each of them to a prison term of two months which they have already served plus a fine of D10, 000, in default to serve 12 months in prison. He said the aforesaid sum must be paid on or before 31 January, 2007. Each of the accused persons was granted bail in the sum of D20, 000 with a Gambian surety pending the payment of the fine.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 010/2007, 24-25 January, 2007
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
