Police Assailant Convicted

One Samba Janko was on the 15th May, 2009 convicted and sentenced at the Kanifing Magistrates' Court to a fine of D1,560 in default to serve six months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer. The sentence followed the convict's own guilty plea.

According to the charge sheet, the convict on or about the 11th May 2009, at Bakau with the intent to resist arrest, willfully and unlawfully assaulted one Lamin Joof, a police officer.

Before the sentence was handed down by the magistrate, the convict craved the court's indulgence to temper justice with mercy, as the offence he committed was a mistake and would never happen again.

The presiding magistrate, His Worship Magistrate George, in his ruling, told the court that the convict was a first time offender and had begged the court for mercy. He stated that the convict had no respect for the law. He further indicated that it is against the law to hold police officers, much more to fight them. He finally noted that the court would not impose a custodial sentence but instead imposed a fine.