David Fulton, 60, and his wife, Fiona, 47, pled guilty to the charges after their arrest in late November because their lawyer told them it might result in a lighter sentence, but a judge gave them the maximum sentence, saying he intended to send a message to those who "spread hatred against the government." In addition to the prison sentences, the couple was fined the equivalent of about $9,500 each.

The couple apparently sent e-mails to friends and church contacts in Britain that not only discussed their ministry but also described the state of affairs in Gambia and called Jammeh "a madman," according to a report by The Times newspaper of London. A Gambian person in England connected to the Fulton's home church sent ...