Habitual criminal gets seven years for stock-theft

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday August 11, 2010 00:00

Yesterday, Moguni jailed Mathata Mogotsi who was charged with Modibedi Setlhage, saying that he was not remorseful during trial. Setlhage was given five years for the offence, which they committed in 2008 because he was a first offender.

Mogotsi on the other hand has five previous convictions with three of them involving stock theft. In 1995, he was convicted of stock theft by Shoshong Customary Court and jailed for two years. Upon his release in 1996, he was tried and convicted of killing an animal with intent to steal by Bonwapitse Customary Court. He served a year in jail.

In 1997, Mahalapye Customary Court sent him to jail for a year and ordered that he should be given five strokes for stock theft. The following year, the same court convicted him of stock theft and ordered him to compensate the complainant with two goats.

Mokgenene Customary Court convicted Mogotsi of causing damage to property and sent him to jail.

Despite his plea for a non-custodial sentence, Moguni found no reason for this. 'It is unfortunate that this court has to try young people for stock theft. They turn to deprive people who worked tirelessly to rear their animals a chance to benefit,' Moguni said.

He was concerned that stock thieves pose as farmers yet they know that their mission is to steal. 'In them, I see criminals wearing safari suits and they deserve to be put away, where they belong,' Moguni said. He ordered that the two cows which were used as exhibits be returned to their owners.