Lamin Sonko, 37, on Monday pleaded guilty to a single charge of rash and negligence act causing death and the case was adjourned to yesterday for the court to deliver the verdict. He was accused of causing the death of a child (name withheld) in Perseverance Street in Banjul by driving in a rash manner. He accepted the facts narrated by the prosecution to be true.
Furnishing the court with the facts of the case, the prosecution provided the court an affidavit ‘deposed’ by the father of the deceased that the family does not wish to continue with the prosecution of the case before the court. He said they agreed that the death of their son was an ‘act of God’ and they have forgiven the convict.
Before sentencing Mr Sonko, the magistrate, Lamin Mbaye stated: “I have also considered the fact that the accused is very remorseful of the offence he has committed. I have also agreed with the deposition in the affidavit that what had happened is [that] negligence [on the part] of the convict caused the fatal accident. I therefore sentence the convict to a fine of D10, 000 or in default he will serve one year imprisonment with hard labour.”
Relatives of Mr Sonko duly went to the registrar’s office to pay the fine. A relative, Ousman Colley, said: “I have to pay the fine. I brought him up and taught him how to drive.”
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