Chief Magistrate Lorraine Makati-Lesang also considered that Patrick Ganetsang was a first offender and pleaded guilty to save court time.
Makati-Lesang took into consideration that Ganetsang is still young and might have been influenced by youthful exuberance. "It's the duty of this court not to send first offenders to prison. The type of offence you committed could have serious consequence had you presented the certificate for a job," the magistrate said. She said the convict was found at the stage when he went to the police station to have the certificate certified by the police. She explained that for that reason alone she would not send Ganetsang to jail. "I sentence you to two years' imprisonment wholly suspended. "If you had presented this certificate and found a job I could have sentenced you to prison. This is a serious offence. Everybody who utters a false document goes to jail. Try other tricks." Makati-Lesang wondered why the 23-year-old convict claimed in mitigation that he was taking care of his family and wanted to know how old the mother was.
