Abdoulie Conteh, Art and Craft teacher at Charles Fowlis Senior Secondary School, was on 30th April, 2008 convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of D2000 in default to serve six months imprisonment for stealing. He was further ordered by Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh of the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court to pay back to the school the sum of D13,150.00, which was the total sum of exam fees he collected from students only to spend it on his personal affairs. Failure to do so, according to the ruling, would expose him to a nine-month imprisonment with hard labour.

In his judgement, the magistrate stated that the accused deserved some punishment.  He said that as a teacher, the accused was expected to set a good example, adding that teachers are role models for their students.  He went on to say that by stealing as a teacher, the accused was encouraging students to engage in similar malpractice.  He therefore averred that the act committed by the accused was unpardonable.

In his mitigation, the accused said he accepted liability for using the money paid to him by the students and but craved the court’s indulgence to allow him to repay the money.  He went on to say that he is a family man and has children.  He stated that his current predicament was destined by God and therefore pleaded to the court to temper justice with mercy and set him free.

Magistrate Mbackeh nonetheless sentenced him to a fine of D2000, in default to serve six months in prison for stealing and ordered him to refund D13,150 to the school, in default to serve nine months imprisonment with hard labour.  He added that both sentences would run consecutively.