Ousainou Touray, identified as a serial burglar, has been sentenced to ten years in prison by Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy at the Brikama Magistrate’s Court. The sentencing comes after his conviction on two counts: shop breaking and stealing.
Touray faced charges of breaking into a building with the intent to commit a felony, a violation of Section 283(b) of the Criminal Code. According to police reports, on January 22, 2025, in Farato, he unlawfully entered the shop of Cherno Sanneh with the intention of committing a felony.
In addition to the breaking charge, Touray was also charged with stealing, contrary to Section 252 of the Criminal Code. Prosecutors stated that on the same day, he stole thirteen gallons of cooking oil valued at D28,600 from Sanneh’s shop.
Touray pleaded guilty to both charges. Following his guilty plea, Magistrate Mendy convicted him accordingly.
During the mitigation phase, Touray appealed for leniency, explaining that he is a father with children who rely on him. Magistrate Mendy acknowledged his plea, noting his apparent remorse and the prosecution’s confirmation that he had no prior convictions.
However, Magistrate Mendy stressed that the stolen items were never recovered. She cited that under the law, theft of any item capable of being stolen is considered a felony, which carries a prison term of five years unless specific circumstances justify a reduced sentence.
While referencing Sections 259(1), 259(2), and 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code—provisions that allow judicial discretion in sentencing—Magistrate Mendy also considered Sections 29 and 31 of the Criminal Code. These sections outline possibilities for reduced sentences or alternatives such as fines or compensation.
Despite these considerations, the court ultimately imposed a ten-year prison sentence, underscoring the seriousness of the offense and the absence of recovered stolen goods.She highlighted the increasing concern within the community about shop break-ins and theft, particularly involving youths who deprive others of their hard-earned property. She remarked, “The victim in this case was unable to recover all the stolen items from his shop, as the convict has disposed of them in such a way that recovery is impossible. So it is important to eradicate such unlawful and immoral behaviour.”
Magistrate Anna O. Mendy emphasized that, due to the rising cases of burglaries and the associated risks posed to the safety and security of innocent property owners, a lenient sentence would not be considered.
Consequently, for the offense of breaking into a building with the intent to commit a felony, she handed Ousainou a mandatory five-year prison sentence. Additionally, for the charge of stealing, he received a mandatory three-year prison term.
Magistrate Mendy further ordered Ousainou to compensate the complainant with D28,000. Failure to pay this amount would result in an additional two years of imprisonment.
In total, Ousainou was sentenced to ten years in prison, with the sentences to run consecutively. The Inspector General of Police was represented by DCP M. Jarju and ASP Y. S. Colley during the proceedings.