Magistrate Edward Singhateh of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court recently convicted and sentenced one Haruna Konateh to a fine of D2,000 in default to serve three months in prison.
Konateh was convicted upon his own plea of guilt of the charge of impersonation in the name of a person or certificate.
Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecuting officer, Sgt 413 Sanyang, stated that it happened on 4 June 2011, at the Banjul International Airport.
He said the convicted person, Haruna Konateh, personated himself to the profiling officers of the Spanish Airline with a Gambian passport No:PC 244230 and Spainish residential card E 12054366 all bearing the name of Ismaila Konateh.
The officials realised that the name and the photo on the document did not match with the appearance of the convict, he continued.
When the convict was asked who the owner was, he said the document was given to him by one Ismaila Konateh with intent to travel, Sgt Sanyang said, adding that the convict was subsequently arrested.
Konateh, in his plea of mitigation, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
In a related development, one Penda Conteh was also convicted and sentenced to a fine of D2,000 in default to serve one month in prison for impersonating in the name of a person or certificate.
The court also ordered that the document be returned to the rightful owner.
Conteh was also said to have presented herself to the profiling officials of the Spanish Airline with a Gambian passport No: PC 331866 and a Spanish residential card E No: 1386093, all bearing the name of one Sarjo Demba.
