Principal Magistrate, Edrisa Mbai of the Banjul Magistrates Court, on Wednesday, convicted and sentenced Mr Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, proprietor and managing editor of the Today newspaper to pay a fine of D10,000,  in default to serve six months imprisonment.

Mr Adiamoh was charged with failure to renew his business certificate with the registrar of companies at the AG Chambers contrary to Section 3 (1) and punishable under Section 2 (a) (1) of the Business Registration Act 2005.

The Today newspaper boss pleaded guilty to the charge, thus his subsequent conviction and sentence.

Lamin Camara, counsel for the defense, urged the court to temper justice with mercy on his client stating that the accused is a family man with a wife and children of school going age in addition to being a first time offender and a responsible man.
Lamin Camara further urged the court to impose a fine on the accused instead of a custodial sentence. “Imposing a custodial sentence may have serious consequences on the young family of the accused and his business, the Today newspaper. The accused has shown remorse in court,” he said.

Handing down his sentence, the principal magistrate, Edrisa Mbai, said he had heard the plea of the defence but it was the duty of the court to dispense justice.