Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of the Brikama Magistrates Court last Tuesday compensated one Ndey Jarju with a donkey, a cart and a bicycle, after the court realized that the man who broke into her shop and stole items worth over D17,000 was unable to pay.

The magistrate arrived at this decision  after the accused - Ebrima Touray of Lamin - told the court that he accepted the charges against him but confessed that he has two wives and five children and could not pay any fine.

Magistrate Jammeh said it was unfortunate that the complainant had lost her money and that the accused could not pay.  He therefore ordered the accused to surrender his donkey, cart and a bicycle to the complainant even though that does not cover the amount she had lost.

He further sentenced the accused to a jail term of six months with hard labor. The magistrate said he had given the accused a light sentence because he is an old man with family, but warned him that if he should commit any crime after his six months, the law would dealt with him accordingly. Sergeant Camara represented the IGP at the trial.