Pistol wielder convicted

Principal Magistrate EF M’Bai of the Brikama Magistrates Court, yesterday convicted and fined one Alagie Kebba Gassama to pay the sum of D500, in default to serve one year imprisonment.

Mr Gassama was found guilty of threatening one Lamin Manjang with a pistol and possessing 90 life rounds of ammunition, two pistol bullets and three magazines of AK47 bullets at Daranka, a hamlet in Lamin.

Mitigation Plea
In his mitigation plea, the defence counsel, Abdoulie Sisoho begged the court to put into consideration the fact that the convict is a first time offender who is 78 years old.

He added that the convict is a diabetes patient and therefore imposing a custodial sentence on him would create a great problem for him and his family, considering the fact that he is the only bread winner in his family. He then urged the court to exercise mercy on the convict.

Verdict
Handing down his verdict, Magistrate M’Bai told the convict that he had heard the plea of the defence counsel and that he was conscious of the fact that imposing a custodial sentence on the convict would not be the best punishment.

He told the convict that considering his age and the mitigation plea of the defence counsel, he would show him some mercy.
He then fined him accordingly.

Magistrate M’Bai also ordered that the said weapons be forfeited to the state.