By Amadou Jadama
Chief Magistrate Omar Cham of the Banjul court has convicted and sentenced one Binta Kinteh to a fine of D7000 in default to serve nine months in prison for obtaining a Gambian passport by false declaration.
Madam Kinteh pleaded guilty when the charges of false declaration and impersonation were read to her.
She was sentenced to a fine of D2000 in default to serve 3 months in prison for false declaration and D5000 in default to serve six months in prison for impersonation.
According to Superintendent Bakary Njie, prosecuting officer of the Gambia Immigration Department alongside Chief Superintendent Malang Jarju, the incident happened on 15 October 2021 at the immigration in Banjul when Binta Kinteh gave a false declaration to immigration officers, claiming she is Kaddy Sabally, and obtained a passport.
“Until April 2022, we received information that Binta wanted to use Kaddy Sabally’s details to travel to the United States of America. Then we mounted an investigation and during that process, we found the biometric ID Card of Binta Kinteh, bearing her name instead of Binta Sabally. From there, she was charged,” he said.
The passport bearing Kaddy Sabally and ID Card bearing Binta Kinteh were tendered in evidence.
Madam Kinteh, who was unrepresented, begged the court for mercy, saying it was a mistake and she will not do it again.
Chief Magistrate Cham however fined her accordingly.
