He was ordered to pay a compensation of D50,000 for each of the victims at the end of August,2020, in default to serve four years imprisonment. The court had ordered the revocation of his license for five years.
Magistrate Sarr granted him bail in the sum of D150,000 with three Gambian sureties. The sentences would run concurrently.
When the case was called, the convict informed the court that his lawyer was on his way to the court.
Sub-Inspector Jallow then urged the court to stand down the case, since the lawyer of the accused was not in the court. The presiding magistrate then asked him whether he had his witness in the court.
He informed the court that his witness was expected to appear in court but was summoned in Banjul and applied to the court to make a short adjournment so that he would present two witnesses on the adjourned date. All of a sudden, the convict told the court that he was changing his plea of not guilty to guilty.
The presiding magistrate asked Prosecutor Jallow to read the facts to the court. He then told the court that the accident happened on the 1st August, 2020, around the Senegambia area. He said that the convict was driving in a dangerous manner without due care. He further noted that the convict knocked three young men which resulted in their death. He stated that the convict was arrested and taken to the Senegambia Police Station (traffic unit) and was cautioned and charged, adding that the convict accepted the charge.
At this juncture, the defence counsel, Mr. Kijera, entered the courtroom and apologised for coming late. He informed the court that the convict had agreed to change his plea of not guilty to guilty.
In his mitigation, he told the court that the convict had shown remorse and pleaded guilty. He posited that he did not waste the time of the court and the accident was not intentional. He urged the court to impose a reasonable fine and compensation and not to incarcerate the convict. He informed the court that the family of the convict had shown remorse to the families of the victims. He then urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
The presiding magistrate then sentenced the convict accordingly.
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