23 Mar 2023

Mabudzane Customary Court in the North East District has sentenced Goitseone Lorato (26) to four strokes for using insulting language.

Lorato, who initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty, was sentenced by Kgosi Boise Ndzimumbi of Mabudzane, who said the punishment was important as it would act as a deterrent.

Kgosi Ndzimumbi said insulting someone in public was a serious offence. “Insults pose a threat to one's reputation,” said Mabudzane traditional leader.

The court heard that on January 21, at a drinking spree in Mabudzane, Lorato insulted Mr Bathompi Khunou for no apparent reason after Mr Khunou had offered him a cigarette.

The court found that there was no basis for Lorato to have insulted Mr Khunou who had assisted him to relieve the craving of smoking.

Investigating officer, Constable Gotshepaone Obakeng told the court that on January 24, he received a complaint from Mr Khunou to the effect that Lorato had insulted him in public.

He told court that he carried out his investigations and approached a certain Mr David Mokibelo, who was with the complainant at the time of the commissioning of the offence.

He submitted that Mr Mokibelo informed him that indeed he heard Lorato insulting the complainant.

Cst Obakeng said it was then that police approached the accused and cautioned him with a charge of using insulting language in a public place.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Kgosithebe Masole of Siviya Customary Court pleaded with the court to convict Lorato and give him an appropriate sentence that would deter others from committing the same offence.

When asked to mitigate, Lorato, who did not have previous convictions,  said “I don’t want to be jailed.”

He added that he was the breadwinner and he relied on piece jobs to fend for his family and that a jail sentence would have negative impact on his family.

In another related case, Kgosi Ndzimumbi also sentenced Thabo Chikuba (26) of New Stance to four strokes for a similar offence.

The duo was advised of the right to appeal within 30 days from the day of sentence. ends