Muhammed Bayo, a resident of Gambisara in Upper River Region was on Wednesday given a five-year jail term for stealing the mobile phone of a blind, old man in Basse Santo -su.
Bayo was arraigned on a single count of stealing contrary to section 252 of the Criminal Code. The particulars of offence revealed that Bayo found the old blind man using his phone and seeing his impaired condition, he stood by and watched waiting for the opportune moment to pounce.
After ending the call, the blind, old man put down his phone with the earphone jack and Bayo picked up the phone and walked away, leaving behind the earphone.
Some area boys met up with him and noticing that he was not from the neighbourhood and something fishy about his behaviour, they took him to Basse Police Station.
At the station, he was frisked and found with a phone. During interrogation, the phone rang, and a police officer answered it. The caller claimed to be the owner of the phone reported that it was stolen. Bayo was then charged with stealing the phone.
When arraigned on April 29, Bayo pleaded guilty to stealing the phone. The presiding magistrate, Peter Che, refused to grant him bail and he was remanded.
On Wednesday he was convicted and sentenced.
In his plea of mitigation, Bayo begged for mercy and promised not to steal again.
However, Magistrate Che imposed the maximum sentence noting: “The Gambia is a country struggling to integrate people with disability into the mainstream [society]. People like you need to be kept for sometime so that others can learn. There is need for deterrence for future offenders who wish to take advantage of people with disabilities. The message should be loud and clear that anyone who attacks or steals from anyone with disability shall face the full force of the law.”
