Principal Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Courts yesterday sentenced one Muhammed Bah to 10 years imprisonment following his conviction of the offence of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 288 of the criminal code.

In delivering judgement, Principal Magistrate Richards adduced that the court was in no doubt that the prosecution had proven its case on balance of probability against the accused. The accused, Mr. Bah, received US$2,970 from the complainant, one Fuma Ceesay, on a pledge that he would in turn deliver animal vaccine, which representation he knew was false.

It was when the accused attempted to receive US$132,750 more from the complainant for the purported supply of the second stock of chemicals called ‘A6 solution’ that he was arrested.

The Principal Magistrate stated that as the accused person’s accomplices had absconded, he had to be punished for having lent himself to the commission of the crime. He further said that the convict’s notoriety for aiding and abetting criminals was evident in the testimonies of the witnesses.