A man, who presented himself as the President’s
confidential secretary, was yesterday convicted and sentenced to six months in
prison by the Banjul Magistrates’ Court presided over by Principal Magistrate
Taiwo Ade Alagbe.
Mbaebu Cham, believed to be in his 30s and currently serving a 14-year jail term at the State Central Prison Mile 2 for a similar offence, admitted to the charge and was convicted and sentenced.
The particulars of offence stated that the convict, between November 2011 and February 2012 in The Gambia, with intent to defraud through an email message addressed to the chairman and the President of the New West Minster College Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, falsely presented himself to be the President of the Republic of The Gambia’s confidential representative.
Narrating the facts of the matter before the court, the Director of Public Prosecutions, S.H. Barkun, told the court that the convicted person was pretending to be the confidential secretary between the Gambia and New West Minister College, British Colombia, in Canada.
He added that the letter was received on 30 March 2012 from the said college, and it was addressed to the President of the Republic of The Gambia.
Accordingto the DPP, the said letter was copied to him as being the confidential secretary and upon receiving the letter, the police were contacted as well as the accused person and the convict admitted that he was the very one who was behind the whole transaction.
The said letter from the college and the cautionary statements obtained from the convict were tendered and marked as exhibits.
In his plea of mitigation, the convict told the court that he was using a website, and using the name of the President to recommend him for higher education.
“I was communicating with the vice chancellor of the said college directly as confidential secretary to recommend The Gambia and the President. They later recommended me and the said letter was copied to me and President Jammeh,” he said.
He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, as he was already serving a 14-year jail term, and further urged the court to exercise leniency.
