Magistrate Ayoub John Njie of the Brikama Magistrates' Court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced one Lamin Faye to three years imprisonment, with hard labor, after being found guilty of stealing a bag of rice from the shop of one Alfusainey Jallow, valued at D825.00.

In his plea for mitigation, Lamin Faye begged the court to tamper justice with mercy, stating that the act came as a mistake to him.

Handing down his judgement, Magistrate Njie put it to Mr Faye that the act was not a mistake. He told him that he could not steal a bag of rice and call it a mistake. Magistrate Njie then went on to impose a three months sentence on Lamin Faye, with hard labor.