�Bewitched� robber sentenced

Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday June 4, 2014 11:12

 

During sentencing Makgatho took note of the fact that while in the process of the two robberies he committed in Makomoto village in March this year, Ezra Mhlanga threatened to chop the complainant with an axe.

But he (Makgatho) said he took into account that Mhlanga was a first offender.

Mhlanga was overcome with grief after he was sentenced, his eyes clearly teary as he contemplated a lengthy stay in jail.

In mitigation on Monday, Mhlanga had told a disbelieving court that he was under the spell of evil spirits during the robberies.

“I was bewitched to commit the offences I am facing.  I have learnt from my stay in jail that crime does not pay.  I pray with the court to have mercy on me when passing sentence,” said Mhlanga.

After mitigation, prosecutor David Ramoseki told the court that he did not find any extenuating circumstances that warranted Mhlanga to have committed the offences.

He prayed with court to impose the minimum statutory sentences.

Meanwhile, two Batswana men and two Zimbabwean men appeared before the same court to face charges of robbery. 

They allegedly used violence when they committed the offence.

The accused Thabani Moyo, Justice Ntini and their Batswana counterparts, Kediemetse Bernard and Samuel Rakgathi are alleged to have robbed Setshwano Malete of P400, a Nokia cellphone worth P750, prepaid electricity machine worth P2,000 and a Toyota car valued at P30,000 last year at Mandunyane.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

They are due in court on July 2, 3 and 4 for trial.

Bernard, Moyo and Ntini remain in custody while Rakgathi is out on bail.