By Amadou Jadama
The Brikama Magistrates’ Court yesterday convicted and sentenced one Ademyi Olumuyina Wosanya, a British national to a fine of D25,000 in default to serve five years in prison for assaulting one Abdou Dambelly, a customs officer at the Banjul International Airport.
Magistrate Fatoumata Darboe-Jaguraga fined Wosanya D20,000 on one count in default to serve three years in prison and D5,000 on another count in default to serve two years in prison. He was charged with common assault.
Wosanya who was unrepresented pleaded guilty when the charged was read to him, and the court ordered the prosecution to the read the brief facts as required by law.
Prosecuting officer Sub-Inspector W Ceesay explained that on March 17 this year, Wosanya arrived at the airport with his luggage and was attended to by Abdou Dambelly, the customs officer.
“The accused had a box that did not fit in the [scanning] machine. So the said customs officer brought down the box from the machine. This did not go down well with the accused person. He hit the hands of the said customs officer and started insulting him, ‘You mother***’.”
According to the prosecutor, the police at the airport were later informed about the incident and Awosanya was invited to the station where statements were taken and he was cautioned and charged.
In his plea of mitigation, the convict said: “I am very sorry about the whole incident. I was very tired, and I was at Banjul International Airport and the things were very smooth. There was a misunderstanding of communication differences. This was not what I intended, and I wanted to apologise but I did not have the chance. I will be more patient next time. I was really stressed out by the journey and the experience at the airport. Otherwise, I have nothing against them.”
Delivering the sentence, the magistrate said she was going to temper justice with mercy and was cognisant that the accused was a first time offender and did not waste the court’s time.
