Principal Magistrate M Krubally has sentenced Senegalese national Mamudu Saidy, also known as Mamudu Jallow, to eight years in prison for breaking into a Laswharf Street workshop and stealing industrial tools.
The sentence was handed down today in April after the accused confessed to both counts of burglary and stealing.
The court heard that complainant Ebrima Sarr closed his workshop on Laswharf Street at approximately 7:00 p.m. in March 2026. When he returned the next morning, the door had been forced open. Missing: a grinding machine, three jigsaws, a drilling machine, a sander, a crowbar, and other hand tools.
Sarr alerted neighbouring carpenters to watch for his equipment. Tips soon led him to a man attempting to sell similar tools. Sarr confronted the accused at a nearby workshop and called Crab Island Police.
Upon arrest, Mamudu Saidy led officers to his residence, where police recovered most of the stolen items. Three tools — a jigsaw, a drilling machine, and a compass saw — had already been sold at Serrekunda market and remain unrecovered.
The court translated the charges into Fula for the accused. Mamudu Saidy pleaded guilty immediately, citing desperation.
In mitigation, he told the court he is the only surviving male in his family after his father and siblings died. “I do labourer job here and any money I accrue therefrom is sent to my mom in Cassamance,” he said, adding that he feared news of his arrest would harm her health.
Despite his first-time offender status, Magistrate Krubally stressed the severity of the crime. “Stealing has the propensity of depriving the owner of property for life, causing trauma and long financial losses,” the magistrate said.
The convict was sentence to 8 Years and ordered to pay a compensation of D7,500.
In a rehabilitative order, Magistrate Krubally directed Mile Two Prison authorities to provide Mamudu Saidy with vocational training so he “might emerge with gainful skills” after serving his sentence.
