12 Feb 2014

Senior Magistrate Kamogelo Mmesi is concerned with the number of house breaking and burglary as well as stealing from dwelling houses incidents in Kanye.

The magistrate indicated that when passing a 19-year imprisonment and eight strokes on bare buttocks sentence to 30-year-old Paul Akanyang after finding him guilty on six counts of house breaking and burglary committed in 2010.

Paul, who is unemployed, raided various council houses stealing goods amounting up to P10 000. The court was told that Paul, who was residing at Motlhala ward in Kanye, was a habitual robber who had previous convictions.

Before passing judgment, Magistrate Mmesi said members of the community were concerned about losing their valuable properties and assets that they struggled to acquire. The magistrate stated that Paul must learn a lesson so that he would not repeat the same crime again. ‘’I should take it very seriously to send a tough message’’, said Magistrate Mmesi.

The facts of the case were that, in 2010 May and September, Paul broke into houses belonging to Moipei Tshitlho and Kakanyo Mashwabi and stole goods amounting to P9801.30. Some of the goods were recovered from him and duly returned to the owners. The accused also broke into four other houses.

Inspector Space Dalaza of the Botswana Police Services prosecuted the case and Ms Kamogela Mmesi presided over the matter. ENDS