A security supervisor who was last month convicted of stealing by agent, escaped jail by a whisker after the court mercifully freed him.
40-year-old Poloko Tsimamma was convicted for stealing P40, 000 cash belonging to Lentsweletau Post Office in November 2021.
In passing sentence, Principal Magistrate Solomon Setshedi decided to be lenient as he took into consideration mitigation factors presented by his defence attorney, Mokwadi Kgopo.
He noted that in passing sentence the court must strike the balance between interest of the accused and those of the society.
“Having taken all the relevant factors and circumstances of the offence into account including the accused personal background and other anticipants I find a fitting punishment to be the following; the accused is sentenced to three years imprisonment wholly suspended on condition that he is not convicted for a similar offence during a period of suspension,” said the magistrate.
In mitigation defence attorney Kgopo had stated that his client was a first offender and that there was no harm or injuries that resulted during the time of crime.
“The money has been recovered, the accused remorsefully cooperated with the police during investigations and handed the money back. He also pleaded guilty, which is a sign of sincere remorse,” explained Kgopo further saying Tsimamma was a caretaker for several years and that his intention to steal was to assist cover the medical costs for his mother who was unwell and died two months later after the crime.
The defence attorney further told the court that the accused was dismissed from work and that chances of him getting employed in the same position are very rare.
He brought to the attention of the court that Tsimamma was running small businesses, a tuck-shop and pool table, also noting that he was also caring for his three children- the youngest born on the 8th April 2023. Kgopo further pleaded for a suspended sentence for his client.
The crime was committed back in November 25th, 2021 after Tsimamma, then a security supervisor for Security Service Company, was to hand over the P235. 000 cash to Lentsweletau Post office and he stole P40. 000.
Facts earlier presented before court stated that on November 24th, 2021 at around 1100hrs Molepolole Post Office Manager, Gabolekolwe Vati, went to ABSA Bank Molepolole for counting and packaging of money for Kopong, Lentsweletau, Letlhakeng and Molepolole post offices.
The money was handed to security officers, Thabang Maleo and Boipuso Karabo at the bank and they were issued with receipts.
After receiving the consignments the duo then escorted the money to the various places but they did not manage to reach Lentsweletau Post Office and later in the afternoon they took the money to their company office in Gaborone.
Upon arrival at Gaborone, Maleo and Karabo handed the remaining consignments to their supervisor, Tsimamma.
During the handing process Tsimamma is said to have alerted his two colleagues that one of the consignment bags was not sealed.
The following day the accused person proceeded to Lentsweletau Post Office to deliver the consignment to the branch Manager, Naledi Bokete.
When counting the money she realised it amounted to P195, 000 instead of the requested amount of P235, 000, running short of P40, 000.
After the case was registered before the police, they arrested Maleo and Karabo who led them to the arrest of Tsimamma.
It was later during the interview by the investigation team when Tsimamma led the police to his residential place and showed them where the P38, 000 was hidden inside a dog cage and also handed the missing P2, 000 which was inside his bag.
