By Kebba Secka
Magistrate Isatou Janneh-Njie of the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court has last week sentenced a man to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour.
Omar Saidy was first arraigned on 26th July 2019 with a single criminal count of obtaining money by false pretense e contrary to section 288 of the Criminal Code.
Saidy denied culpability but he was found guilty by Magistrate Janneh-Njie.
Inspector F.A. Sanyang appeared for the Inspector General of Police while the convict (Saidy) represented himself. The Magistrate after summarizing the history of the case, handed down the sentence which include compensation for a sum of two hundred thousand dalasis (D200, 000) to the community of Kuloro in accordance with section 142 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The prosecution during the trial called several witnesses from the community of Kuloro in the West Coast Region to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt. The presiding magistrate when handing down the sentence ordered the selling of the convict’s vehicle with registration number BJL 9208 R to compensate the two hundred thousand dalasi falsely taken from the villagers in default to serve additional one year imprisonment. Witnesses who testified in the case stated that the convict once visited Kuloro village and joined the village’s congregational prayers after which he announced in the mosque that he worked with an Arab Agency that gives Tobaski rams for people at a cheaper price. Witnesses told the court that the convict asked them to raise about two hundred thousand dalasis and the agency would facilitate rams to all of them. They said the convict told them that the Imam of their mosque and the village head may get rams free of charge adding that witnesses said the said sum was quickly gathered and given to the convict who was never seen afterwards. They told the court that they came to Kombo in search of the convict until he was found with his vehicle BJL 9208R at Westfield where he was arrested.
