A common thief was recently reduced to tears by a thorough whipping at the Serowe Customary Court after the presiding chief, Kgosi Serogola Seretse, decided to chastise the young man for stealing a phone with eight strokes of the cane on his bare buttocks.
30-year-old Pilato, who was charged for a theft common offence, did not waste court’s time and pleaded guilty quickly while his co-accused, Tshepo Odirile, 30, decided to drag the case by pleading not guilty.
Odirile will further be remanded in custody till his next mention slated for March 27th.
Outlining the charge, Prosecutor Sergeant Dikeledi Molokomme told court that on March 20th, they received a report at Serowe Police Station from Tefo Moshengwa that the accused duo jointly stole her gold Huawei P10 Lite phone valued at P4,010 at her residence located at Botalaote ward.
Apparently, on the night of March 19th, Moshengwa had just arrived home from a night out with her friend and they decided to relax in the car to finish off their remaining drinks.
That is when, out of nowhere, the accused persons attacked them, and although their plan was to make away with both their phones, they only managed to snatch Moshengwa’s phone before they disappeared into the dark night.
Fortunately, the two ladies had seen the thugs’ faces and were therefore able to reconginse them.
The police carried out their investigations and arrested the duo.
“The accused were searched and the phone was recovered from David,” said Molokomme.
Upon discovering that he faced a possibility of being imprisoned for years not exceeding three years, Pilato pleaded with the court to be lenient towards him in sentencing noting that he had three children to take care of.
Kgosi Seretse admonished the thugs and warned them to refrain from feeling that they are entitled to other people’s valuables.
The stolen phone was returned to the owner.