Gambiaj.com – (KANIFING) – One Sanna Darboe was on Tuesday convicted and sentenced for impersonating a police officer with the rank of sub Inspector. Darboe infiltrated the “operation clear the road” exercise, where he obtained money by false pretences from various vendors.

Presiding Magistrate E. Colley stated that both offences Darboe was charged with, carry a mandatory 2-year jail term each. However, due to Darboe’s guilty plea and being a first-time offender, as confirmed by Inspector Jammeh who appeared for the IGP, the Magistrate decided to offer a sentence discount. Despite this, Magistrate Colley emphasized that crimes attempting to discredit the security forces and the court will not be taken lightly, and offenders must face the consequences.

As part of the verdict, Darboe was ordered to pay a fine of D10,000. Failure to pay the fine would result in a 2-year jail term. Additionally, Darboe was instructed to compensate the victims with a sum of D35,000, with all sentences running consecutively.

Darboe was charged with impersonating a public officer contrary to Section 93 of the Criminal Code and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 288 of the Criminal Code cap 10:01 volume 3 laws of the Gambia 2009.

Inspector Jammeh, narrating the facts before the court, explained that Darboe, in October, at Serrekunda and diverse serious crime offices in Banjul, personated himself as a police officer with the rank of sub Inspector. He collected D2,400 from various individuals as a penalty for stray animals owners. Additionally, Darboe obtained D35,000 from one Fakemo Sillah under false pretences, promising to help secure Sillah’s place of selling.