A 22-year-old petty thief was sentenced to serve a year imprisonment and six strokes of lashes on the bare buttocks by Molepolole Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for stealing shoes and a television set.
Baone Ramotuana (22) also known as Bibo, was charged with two counts of house breaking and stealing from a dwelling house on February 3rd, 2023.
The complainant, Kimane Thatayaone, reported to the police that on February 3rd she securely locked her house in Thamaga and left for Molepolole.
When she returned the following day she found that her house door was damaged and the lock destroyed.
After entering the house she noticed that the thieves had stolen her television set and some shoes.
She then reported the incident to the police and fortunately the second day after opening a case, the police managed to arrest Ramotuana.
The stolen black Puma shoes belonging to Thatayaone were found at the accused man’s place during a police search and he later led the investigating officer to recover another pair of shoes from one Kesaobaka Mekgwe and a television set from Aobakwe Keaketswe.
The shoes and television set were presented before court as exhibits.
However, it was proved before court that Ramotuana had a previous conviction of theft for which he was sentenced to four strokes of the cane on January 11th, 2018.
For both charges Ramotuana was sentenced to three years imprisonment, two of which were years suspended for three years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period.
