By Amadou Jadama
A policeman who was discharged by the force was dragged to court and cautioned for continuing to wear the uniform, working as a policeman and also for obstructing an on-duty officer who wanted to expose his impersonation.
Ebrima Kebbeh is accused of scolding one Sergeant Alpha Kanteh, who, knowing about the accused’s sacking, was surprised to see him in uniform and wanted to escort him to the station to confirm whether he was reinstated.
According to police prosecutors, a tussle broke out between Kebbeh and Sergeant Kanteh attracting the attention of one ASP Lamin Fadera, an immigration officer who took both men to the police station where it was confirmed that the accused was in fact not reinstated and was impersonating the police.
“He was stripped of the uniform and detained in a cell and later dragged to court which found him guilty of assault and impersonation,” police prosecuting officer Bojang told the court, presided over by Principal Magistrate Krubally.
In his plea of mitigation, ex-police Kebbeh begged the court: “I am appealing both to the court and to the police in particular. I am ready to die for the Gambia Police Force and that was why I did such. I definitely want to be a police officer up to the end of my life. I agree that I offended the police fraternity, the Gambian nation and the complainant Sergeant Alpha Kanteh and I am seeking forgiveness.
I am not yet married. I have been discharged by the Office of the Inspector General of Police. I am unemployed. My mum depends on only me for sustenance. I apologise for this and I will not do it again,” he said.
In passing his sentencing, Magistrate Krubally said: “I have considered the nature of the offences and I also considered the mitigating circumstance of the accused in that he is really interested to work for the Gambia Police up to the end of his life and as such prompted him to act in such a matter. Although I don’t know why he was been discharged by the police. I also don’t know why he should wear a police uniform pretending to be a police officer and I don’t know when in uniform impersonating or pretending to be police, what he was really doing. Either he was acting wrongly, threatening the public, I don’t know. The hall mark is that what the accused did was wrong in toto which he admitted outright without further delay”.
Magistrate Krubally reminded him that his actions were wrong as police officers ought to be respected and be left to carry out their legal and due functions without obstruction.
“In light of the status quo and having regard to all the circumstances above and taking in to light the two counts the accused stands, I decide as follows together hereunder: That pursuant to Section 267 1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, I hereby exercise my discretion and release the accused on probation for six months and during this period, the accused is hereby ordered to report to the police prosecution once a week. During the six months period and beyond, he is ordered to be of good behaviour and citizen. In exercise of my statutory discretion, again, under Section 267 2) of the Criminal Code, I hereby order the accused to pay D2500 for the cost of the proceedings to the court”.
