One Muhammed Ceesay, was recently sentenced to pay a fine of D2000 in default to serve three months imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh of the Kanifing Magistrates Court.

The accused was charged for purchasing forged notes contrary to the Criminal Code of the laws of The Gambia. When the charge sheet was read to him, Mr Ceesay pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him

On 19th May, 2008, at City Pub Bar in Serrekunda, the accused went to the bar with three notes of fifty dalasis of fake Gambian currency to buy some drinks.  He was arrested and handed to the Serrekunda Police, where he confessed his crime to the detective officer.
 
The fake currencies were later verified by the Central Bank, and were tendered in the court by the prosecution as evidence without objection from the accused person.

Before passing sentence on the accused, the magistrate said he had heard and considered the plea for mercy made by the accused person.  The court however was of the view that the accused merited some punishment as a deterrent.

According to the Magistrate, the offence he had committed was a serious one even though the accused alleged that he committed the act out of mere ignorance or mistake.  The magistrate further stated that the accused as a petty trader had sold his CD player to a customer who paid D350 but three of the seven fifty notes paid to him were fake notes, which he (the) accused detected.

Magistrate Mbackeh pointed out that, according to the law, whether the accused person knew about it or not, the fact that he used the said fake notes to purchase drinks made him liable to the offence with which he was charged.  He further said, the accused could not produce the person who bought the CD player from him and paid the said fake notes.

Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh argued that the circulation of fake Gambian currency notes in the market may have some catastrophic effects in the country's economy if necessary steps are not take.  He therefore called on the relevant authorities to make every effort to avert this act.

In his judgement, Magistrate Mbackeh said since the accused had shown some degree of remorse over the whole affair and was a first offender according to police records, the court had shown some measure of leniency towards him.  He was finally fined D2000 in default to serve three months imprisonment.