Man gets 12 months for theft of mag wheels

Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday April 4, 2017 17:13

The sentence was backdated to December when he was arrested.

Three other alleged accomplices Rebecca Mokgori, Tafadzwa Geza (28) and Tabahla Sibanda (27) were acquitted, as there was no evidence linking them to the offence.

Chirongoma (32) pleaded guilty to the charge and was immediately convicted while the prosecution made an application for the three other accused to be released. On December 4, 2016, three people, including the accused stripped a silver  Toyota Run X  vehicle of its mag wheels and tyres, leaving the car suspended on bricks.

The case was allocated to detective constable Otshedile Popo who received a leading information that Chirongoma was driving a vehicle with mag wheels and tyres similar to the stolen ones. 

He was later arrested by Mogoditshane police and the complainant Tshipietsile successfully identified the stolen tyres and the accused person admitted to having committed the crime and led the investigating officer, Popo to the crime scene.

The accused admitted before Magistrate Odirile Mokgatle that his intention was to permanently own the stolen goods and admitted all the exhibits except the jack that was used. He pleaded with Court to be lenient as he had a minor child and a sister to take care of in Zimbabwe.

“I want the Court to also understand that these accused persons are wrongly accused. They are not the ones I committed the crime with. I am sorry, my stay at prison for four months has taught me a lesson that crime does not pay,” he pleaded.

In sentencing the accused, Mokgatle considered his mitigation and further noted that common theft was not a much heavier offence which carries a maximum sentence of four years imprisonment.

He however added that petty theft was common in Jwaneng and that called for a deterrent sentence to curb such ill.

“Though it is common cause that first offenders like the one before Court should be rehabilitated outside prison walls because of the criminally charged environment of jail, it should however be noted that a balanced sentence that will appear fair to the state and the accused should be administered.

A reasonable observer should not assume that the accused has been harshly treated or the Court has been lenient on him. It should rather be fair and blended with mercy,” Mokgatle noted.

He said the Court observed that the accused has shown remorse by pleading guilty to the charge and furthermore, he has not benefited anything as the stolen properties will be returned to its lawful owner.

Mokgatle sentenced Chirongoma to one year imprisonment, which will be back dated from the date he was incarcerated four months ago.