Backyard Garden of Dagga

Lebogang Baingapi | Monday September 28, 2015 18:00

 

Mary’s son, Thuso Monageng, was the only one who appeared and when quizzed about the whereabouts of his mother said she did not have a bus fare from Moshupa to appear at the Kanye Magistrate Court and she had gone to ask for a lift from Moshupa police. His other brother, 19-year-old Basimane Monageng, who was also not in attendance was said to be writing an exam while Thuso further added that his sister Lesego Monageng (22) was not well and she went to the hospital on that day.

However Principal Magistrate Abigail Masawi did not take it kindly to the reasons espoused by Thuso and asked Thuso to tell his brother that he will write his exam in prison. She immediately issued a warrant of arrest for the three absent accused persons.

According to the charge sheet, the accused persons were found having cultivated dagga without authority. This happened on October 1, 2012.

Still in court, Jacob Molokomme had a bad day when he was convicted and remanded in custody for failure to comply with a maintenance court order. Forty-five-year-old Molokomme was facing 22 counts of failing to paying maintenance of P700 monthly for his children from October 2012 to July 2014.

He pleaded not guilty to count one to three which is from October to December 2012 as he claimed he had paid and the receipt was with the complainant but pleaded guilty to other 19 counts. Though he explained that he is currently unemployed and going through a divorce, he was convicted on his own plea for the 19 counts and consequently remanded in custody. He will appear for mitigation and sentencing on September 29, 2015.

On a separate case, 17-year-old Thapelo Makwati of Moshupa pleaded guilty to two counts of entering a house with intentions to steal and stealing from a dwelling house. It is alleged that between July 1 and 3, 2015, he entered Pako Molalawesi’s house in Moshupa and stole items valued at P8,620. The prosecution made an application that they be given time to prepare the facts of the case and the accused will appear again in court on October 8.