A 42-year old woman, Fatmata Gbla appeared in court yesterday before Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Magistrate Court No 2 for allegedly registering twice in the ongoing biometric voter registration exercise.
The woman, who seemed not to understand English and what was apparently happening around her found it difficult to understand what the Registrar was saying as he read the charges to her. A translator had to be called in to interpret what was being said to her.
She told the court through the translator that she initially registered when the exercise started, but lost her slip a few days later, which was why she went to register for the second time. She said she did not know it was an offence for someone to register twice. She pleaded with the Magistrate to tamper justice with mercy.
According to the police charge sheet, the accused is charged with seeking and obtaining registration as an elector more than once contrary to Section 3 of the Electoral Laws Act No. 2 of 2002.
It is alleged that the accused on a date unknown between 23rd January and 22nd February 2012 at Kaningo Primary School Registration Center at Lumley, sought and obtained registration as an elector for more than once in Ward 394 Constituency 112.
Defense Counsel for the accused Lawyer D. J. Lavally, told the court that the accused does not want to waste the court’s time which is why she has pleaded guilty. He too submitted for the court to tamper justice with mercy as the accused is a parent with a school-going child.
Responding, the Prosecutor, ASP Dunia, maintained that lots of sensitizations have been done about the registration exercise and the processes involved as well as warnings about the consequences of violation. He submitted therefore that the law must take its course. He insisted that the accused be convicted and imprisoned for two years.
The defense however argued on the contrary and submitted an alternative in the form of a fine as punishment. Upon hearing the submissions from both sides of the aisle, Magistrate Kamanda ordered that the accused be remanded in custody until the nest adjournment when he would have decided whether to sentence the accused to a prison term or fine her. The matter was adjourned to 8th March, 2012.
By Nancy Koroma
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