Modou Lamin Ceesay and Lamarana Jallow were recently convicted and sentenced to a fine of D2, 000 each, in default to serve six months in prison by Principal Magistrate Kayode Olajubutu of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court for presenting forged bank statements at the American Embassy.
According to the facts as narrated by Inspector Touray, it happened on 4th January 2010, when the convicts applied for a visa at the American Embassy and submitted their documents.
He revealed that they were later called for an interview on 11th January 2010, when they were told that their applications were rejected on the grounds that the presented bank statements were false.
He further narrated that after leaving the American Embassy, the convicts were arrested by some plainclothes officers and taken to the Kairaba Police Station and later referred to the Fraud Squad in
In his mitigation, Lawyer Gomez told the court that the offence of forgery is no doubt a serious offence. However, he went on, it does not rank among those offences which are called capital offences. He stated that the offences are misdemeanour and the convicts are truthful young men.
He further mitigated that the convicts did not deny the allegation and would like the court to take this into account.
"They are first offenders and they wanted to travel to another country for greener pasture, as this is their motive," Lawyer Gomez mitigated.
He urged the court to treat the convicts with a sense of leniency, and not impose a custodial sentence on them.
