After he was recently denied bail in the murder of a Molepolole Taxi driver, Mohamed Sadiq Tajbhai was last week slapped with a P2 500 in another case of unlawful discharge of a firearm.
Tajbhai who on the 29th of August, at Extension 10 Gaborone, without reasonable cause, discharged a firearm in a manner likely to cause injury or danger to other persons was fined after the court considered that the 33-year-old man has no previous convictions.
When delivering the sentence Extension II Magistrate Lentlhabetse Willie said Tajbhai’s criminal conduct is comprehensive. She however said the court should not lose sight of the hallowed principles of sentencing comprehensively.
The magistrate pointed out that he was mindful of the balancing exercise embracing the nature of the offence, interests of the society and personal circumstances of the accused which he carefully considered in order to arrive at an appropriate sentence.
“Generally, first offenders should, where possible appropriate, be spared from a custodial sentence. In respect to the nature of this offence, any person convicted is liable to a fine not exceeding P5 000 and or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or both. The seriousness of this case, is more compounded by the fact that law enforcement officers were called to attend to a report that the accused was misbehaving at home. He told the police to leave his compound before he made the two gunshots and never cared about the risk he had presented to their lives,” said Willie
Magistrate Willie went on to say it is trite that society demands that offenders should be appropriately and adequately punished for the offences they have committed, lest it loses the trust reposed on the judiciary.
He therefore sentenced the accused to a fine of P2 500 payable immediately, if he were to default the accused would be sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. Magistrate Willie advised Tajbhai of his right to appeal the sentence if dissatisfied within 14 days.
Meanwhile in January, Tajbhai allegedly shot and killed a taxi-driver, Ofitlhile Ofitlhile in cold blood in Molepolole before burning him in his own house then setting the taxi alight. He is currently remanded in custody facing charges of murder, robbery and malicious damage to property.