A 24-year-old man of Shorobe village who pleaded guilty for unlawfully wounding his neighbor by stabbing him with a knife, has escaped jail after Maun Principal Magistrate sentenced him to two years in prison wholly suspended and five strokes.
The convict, Kebame Zambo is said to have on the 30th March 2024 unlawfully wounded his neighbour Kago Wuleba by stabbing him on the left shoulder and on the left side of the ribs with a knife.
Particulars of the offence are that on that fateful day Zambo followed the victim to his residential place in Disaneng ward in Maun where he attacked and stabbed him with a sharp object on his left shoulder and on the left side of the ribs.
The victim was then rushed to Letsholathebe II Memorial hospital where he was later transferred to Princess Marina Hospital where he later recover. The matter is said to have been reported on the 10th of April the victim’s concerned mother and the accused was arrested on the 11th of April 2024.
Appearing before Mosweu on Tuesday, Zambo who pleaded guilty of the single count, informed court that he does not dispute the statements and charges laid against him, and further noted that he does not dispute using a knife to unlawfully wound the victim.
In his mitigation plea, Zambo pleaded for a non-custodial sentence arguing that he does not understand what got into him to end up stabbing Wuleba. He said the victim is his neighbor and they have not had any bad blood.
Zambo pleaded for a lesser sentence arguing that his behavior which he condemned before court was due to intoxication, as he alleges that he was highly intoxicated by the time he committed the offence.
Passing the sentence Mosweu stressed that she took into account the fact that the accused person is a first time offender, however she emphasised that it does not reduce the sentence as the offence is a serious one.
She further noted the convict did not waste the court’s time as he pleaded guilty and showed remorse on what he had done.
“I therefore sentence the accused person to two years in prison wholly suspended with corporal punishment of five strokes,” Mosweu delivered the sentence.
