According to press reports, the Gambian magistrate court on Thursday fined a five-star hotel chef for negligence in serving unsafe food to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his delegation last November.

Ayoub Aliris, chef of hotel Coco Ocean, was found guilty of cooking prawns that led to food poisoning during a state visit by President Jonathan to the country last November.  Aliris was fined 100,000 Gambian dalasis (US$2,600).

The chef had denied the charges during his first court appearance.

Police said the chef had cooked prawns for a special lunch hosted for the visiting Nigerian leader.

Jonathan was later rushed to hospital to treat an upset stomach during a subsequent visit to London.