Senior Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced one Martino Sylva, an employee at A-Z Supermarket, to a fine of D50,000, or, in default, serve one-year six-month in jail.

According to the fact-sheet, the incident occurred on June 11, when the accused inconspicuously went into hiding at the supermarket after closing hours. The doors were then locked without the knowledge of the complainant.

"In the early hours of the following morning, the watchman on duty had some noise, which prompted him to call his boss Nabil, the proprietor of the supermarket.

Following the arrival of the proprietor, the matter was then reported to the Kairaba Police Station, who sent officers to investigate the iy," the charge sheet stated.

Following a thorough search of the supermarket, the accused was found somewhere, inside the supermarket, with some stolen cash in Gambian Dalasi and CFA.

"The Gambian Dalasi was D137,625 and CFA590,000, which is equivalent to D28,000. The accused also stole 33 silver and gold, which is equivalent to over D80,000, seven mobile phones, three digital cameras, 109 Africell scratch cards, 73 Gamcel scratch cards, three Comium scratch cards, three Comium sim cards, all totalling to D256,900."

He was said to have been later arrested and taken to Kairaba Police Station, where he was cautioned and charged.

The stolen item were later recovered and returned to the complainant.

In his plea of mitigation, Mr Sylva begged the court for mercy, saying that he was a first-time offender.

"I'm a poor boy and I have a family to take care of. This led me to do such a thing," he said. But his plea for mitigation could not save him from the wrath of the law, as the magistrate went ahead to sentencing him accordingly.