Zim human smugglers sentenced
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday May 21, 2024 06:01
Eleven out of the dozen, Wandisile Nkomo, Lord Sibanda, Nthabiseni Ncube, German Chuma, Desire Ncube, Zihla Majikijela, Christopher Dube, Vivian Masenda, Dorcus Ndebele, Alton Ngwenya, Headman Ndlovu, entered Botswana through an ungazetted point of entry at Ramokgwebana village on March 29.
All pleaded guilty to entering Botswana through an ungazetted point of entry, save for Khaya Ngwenya, the first accused. The dozen’s brush with the law started after they were intercepted in the company of six minors in Francistown en route to South Africa (SA). The minors are now in the custody of social welfare officers. During mitigation prior to sentencing, it was apparent that the dire socio-economic situation in Zimbabwe was the main factor that caused the accused to commit the offences they pleaded guilty to. Most of the accused, now convicts, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy because they were caught in Botswana en route to South Africa to look for greener pastures. When passing the sentence, Magistrate Ditebogo Ntuli said: “I have considered what each and every one of you has said in mitigation.
You have also saved the court’s time by readily pleading to these offences. I also took into consideration the hardships of life that you experience in your home country... On the other hand, society cannot countenance what you did. 'You smuggled minors from Zimbabwe en route to SA. I don’t know what could have happened to those children had you not been intercepted in Botswana. Accused number two (Nkomo) had smuggled her own child. All of you, save for Khaya Ngwenya, had entered Botswana illegally which compromised the security of this republic.
This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated.” Ntuli added: “In count one (smuggling in persons), I fine Khaya Ngwenya P20,000 payable before the end of business today (Friday) and in default, he shall spend three years in jail. I also fine Wandisile Nkomo P5,000 payable before the end of business today for smuggling her child into Botswana.
In default, she shall spend six months in jail. Should both accused persons, now convicts, fail to pay the fines, their sentences should run concurrently.' Ntuli fined all the remaining accused persons P2,000 each 'payable before the end of business today failure to which they shall each serve six months in jail for both counts'. Sentences would be served concurrently, the magistrate said. 'The accused have a right to appeal both the conviction and sentence or both at the High Court in 14 days starting from today,' Ntuli added.