Rampaging criminal to �cool down� in jail

Tumelo Mouwane | Friday July 17, 2015 11:26

 

When delivering sentence, Tumelo said he took into consideration the mitigating factors that the accused person presented before court.

“I have considered that you are still young and have learnt that crime does not pay; you have not only deprived the society of their belongings but also that you destroyed your reputation,” he said.

Tumelo also said that he had considered that the accused is an orphan and first time offender but he had to learn from his mistakes.

 “I am also mindful of the fact that you lost your parents at a tender age and are a first offender. Nonetheless, justice should prevail. The court has a duty to send out a stern message in order to curb crime.

“I therefore sentence you to two years imprisonment for count two, and two years imprisonment for count four as well as two years imprisonment for count five and year each in count six, seven and eight. For count two, four, five, and six and count seven, six months will be suspended provided that you do not commit any offence.

The sentence will run concurrently with the sentence you are serving,” he said.

The magistrate further advised Mokoti to appeal the sentence at the High Court within 14 days if he was not happy with it. He also ordered that the exhibits be returned to their rightful owners.

Responding to the sentence Mokoti asked the court for clarity on the sentence. He told court that there is no sentence that he is serving.

“There is no sentence that I am serving in prison. I therefore want to understand what concurrent sentences mean?” he asked.

Clarity on this will be sought in due time.

Mokoti was found guilty of stealing six cans of beer and Senn Polony on December 19th 2014 at Moselewapula. He was also found guilty of stealing a silver television stand valued at P 400 on April 25, 2015 still in Lobatse, property belonging to Antony Dingakane. Mokoti was also convicted for stealing P110 from a carwash in Moselewapula. On the fifth count Mokoti got two years imprisonment for stealing a Nokia cell phone valued at P900 being the property of Tiki Hirschfield on May 27, 2015.

The accused will also serve time for stealing alcoholic beverages worth P2,500 as well as personal valuable items totalling P3,000.

On the eighth count, the accused was found guilty of escaping from lawful custody, an offence that earned him a year imprisonment slap.