Convicted soldier pleads for mercy

Tumelo Mouwane | Wednesday September 13, 2017 16:32

 

In mitigation the convict said he regretted his actions. Mogomotsi said he only attempted to use the document because he wanted to help his brother who was under a critical health condition. “I must apologise before this Court for what I have done. I was really in a desperate situation hence I tried to use the passport because my brother was in a critical health condition. I regret and I am married, I have children who will suffer if I am sent to prison,” he pleaded.

The soldier who is based at the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks (SSKB) was arrested for using a relative’s passport to exit and enter Botswana on May 4, 2017. He presented a relative’s passport in the names of one Gotlaitse Mogomotsi at Ramatlabama border post in a bid to enter the country from South Africa whilst he knew it did not belong to him. He was arrested on the spot on his return trip in transit to Gaborone.

He agreed that on the said date, he produced his cousin’s passport and upon an immigration officer’s inspection, the photo on the passport did not match his facial identity. The passport number on the immigration department system also reflected the passport to be belonging to Gotlaitse Mogomotsi. 

It also emerged that the system at the border further revealed that the convict was also on a wanted person on a police list hence the immigration officials handed him to the police. Sentencing has been adjourned to October 27.