Appearances were deceiving for unlucky trader

A retail trader, who was accused of selling cigarettes to an under-aged boy at an outlet in Galle Road, Colombo 3, was ordered to pay a fine of Rs.1,500 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday.

The accused was arrested by police officers while he was engaged in the act of selling the cigarettes to a person who was identified as being under the stipulated legal age of twenty-one. Producing the trader in Court, Kollupitiya Police alleged that the accused had committed an offence coming under the Tobacco and Alcohol Act No. 27 of 2006.

Appearing on behalf of the trader, defence counsel Sudarshani Gunaratne informed court that while her client was pleading guilty to the offence she contended that her client had mistakenly sold the cigarettes to the boy as he was well-built and by appearance seemed to be an adult.

Accordingly, Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne imposed a fine of Rs.1,500 on the accused. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)