68 yrs old fined for importing fire arms

Acting Principal Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara of the  Bundung Magistrates court has yesterday convicted  68 year old Sirach Verbury, to a fine of D10,000 in default to serve two years imprisonment.

He earlier pleaded guilty on two count charges of importing fire arms without licences and possession of fire arms without authority. According to the particulars of the offence on count one, Sirach Verbury,  on Feburary 10, 2006, at The Gambia Ports Authourity in Banjul, imported fire arms and aminutions into the country without licence.

On count two, the facts indicated that he was found in possession of one air riffle and an air gun pistol with aminution in Kololi on February, 26 2009, without authority. Lawyer AA Bensuda, Counsul for Sirach in his mitigation, urged the court to temper justice with mercy  adding that his client is a diabetes patient and have to take his medication on daily basis. According to him, his client did not know that it is an offence in the country to be in possession of fire arms as he has traveled with them to many European countries. He further told the court that his client is a first offender and had not threantened anybody with his air guns.

Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara then sentenced him on count one, to a fine of D5000 in default, serve one year imprisonment. On count two, the accused was fine a sum of D5000 in default, serve another one year imprisonment and both sentences will have to run concurrently. Sergeant 779 Badjie stood in for the IGP.