The court also ordered the said accused person to pay D5, 000 each in default to serve a one-year jail term with hard labour. They were convicted upon their own plea to the charge of cheating.

According to the particulars of offence, the said accused persons Amadou Sowe, Omar Jawara and Sheik Gaye, on or about 19 day of September 2008 at Brikama market of the Republic of The Gambia, having false scales in their shops, fraudulently sold meat to Yassin Kujabi, Sherrif Barrow, and Lamin Jammeh, by the said false scales which were short of the weight.

Narrating the facts of the case Sub-inspector Samateh said the incident happened on the 19thSeptember 2008 at Brikama market after a tip off to the police from the customers that there are some butchers who are tampering with their weighing scales.

He said from there the police in collaboration with Weights and Measure personnel mounted an investigation about the issue.

He added that on their arrival at the Brikama Market, they met with some customers and asked them the source of their meat. According to Inspector Keita, the customers then accompanied them to the butchers who were later intercepted by the police and the weight and measure personnel and were arrested and taken to Brikama police station. He added that upon reaching the station, the caution and voluntary statements of the accused persons were taken from them and the scales which were found with them were confiscated and tendered as court exhibits.

In his ruling Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh said the offence committed was a serious one and thus he would set an example for a strong warning to those that may engage in such acts in future. He added that the matter was a public concern therefore the accused were convicted accordingly.