Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbacke of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court recently convicted and sentenced one Abdourahman Jallow on charges of housebreaking and stealing.
He was sentenced on a charge of housebreaking to a mandatory jail term of six months with hard labour, while on a charge of stealing he was sentenced to a fine of D3000, in default to serve one month in prison with hard labour.
The court also ordered him to compensate the complainant in the sum of D50, 000, in default to serve three months in prison with hard labour. Both sentences are to run concurrently.
In his plea of mitigation, the convict begged the court to temper justice with mercy, as "housebreaking and stealing is not his habit."
In passing sentences, Magistrate Mbacke stated that the convict deserved some punishment to serve as a deterrent. As he put, housebreaking and stealing is on the increase and it is the duty of the court and the law enforcement officers to curb the menace.
Prosecutor 1st class 2118 Gomez represented the IGP.
