Habitual Offender Given Mandatory Sentence

Balla Secka, a habitual offender, was on the 14th July 2009 given a mandatory sentence of three months with hard labour by Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbake of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
He was convicted and sentenced after he was found guilty for house breaking and stealing articles valued at D10, 202.
In his judgement, Magistrate Mbake said the court had heard and considered the plea for mercy by the accused, but the court was of the opinion that he deserved some punishment to serve as a deterrent. He stated that all indications were that the accused was in the habit of committing such criminal offences and deserved to be taught a lesson, so as to desist from such malpractices in the future.