01 Feb 2017

Four men of Ntloelengwae ward in Molepolole will each receive five strokes for damaging a Botswana police motor vehicle by stoning it.

Delivering the sentence recently, Molepolole Magistrate Lindiwe Makgoro said when sentencing the accused, she took into consideration that the four were first offenders and they had been in custody for the past few months, therefore they learnt a lot.

Magistrate Makgoro sentenced the four to three years wholly suspended for two years and each one of them to receive five strokes after being certified fit by the doctor.   

Earlier in their mitigation, the four men Tshepo Motlotlegi, Thapelo Relaeng, Mmusi Ketshabamang and Kenneth Methe asked the court to be lenient in sentencing them, praying for a non-custodial sentence, saying during their time of incarceration for the past few months they had learnt a lesson and promised to never commit crime again.

They also said they were young and still hopeful to progress with their studies with one saying he was a beneficiary of a youth grant and his project might suffer if sentenced to imprisonment.

According to the charge sheet, the four accused on the night of June 18 last year at Lesunyana ward in Molepolole, acting jointly in concent unlawfully damaged a windscreen for Botswana police motor vehicle registered BX 15 2510 using stones.

Prosecuting for the state was Sergeant Maureen Segokgo of Molepolole police. BOPA