News / Africa
Two Zimbabweans gets public lashing in Botswana
27 Apr 2013 at 06:24hrs | Views
Two Zimbabweans, Caiphus Moyo (32) and Blessed Mabondeni (36) wept in public early this week when they got five lashes of the cane each for an 'intent to commit crime' conviction.
The unemployed Zimbabweans were nabbed by G-West police officers early this month at the Gaborone bus rank in possession of a iron bar suspected to be a tool they intended to use to break into cars. They both pleaded guilty to the charge.
"Gentlemen you can either be sent to jail for committing this crime but I shall however be lenient and order that each of you receive five strokes on bare buttocks and hope that you won't be caught on the wrong side of the law next time," said Old Naledi customary court President Charles Koitsiwe.
A weeping Moyo told The Voice in between sniffles that he found the law in Botswana brutal.
"This is not fair at all. How can I be whipped just because I was caught holding a simple metal rod. Some people carry weapons and just because I am a Zimbabwean the law found it fit to humiliate me like this.
"God is the one to judge and he knows that we did not intend to commit any crime as they claim," he said wiping away his tears.
For his part Mabondeni said he had no clue why he was lashed.
" I guess my sin was to be found with Moyo. They searched me and found nothing. The metal rod was in Moyo's pocket, so I was basically lashed for nothing.," he complained.
Reminded that he was convicted on his guilty plea Mabondeni said: "I just wanted to save my time and energy."
The unemployed Zimbabweans were nabbed by G-West police officers early this month at the Gaborone bus rank in possession of a iron bar suspected to be a tool they intended to use to break into cars. They both pleaded guilty to the charge.
"Gentlemen you can either be sent to jail for committing this crime but I shall however be lenient and order that each of you receive five strokes on bare buttocks and hope that you won't be caught on the wrong side of the law next time," said Old Naledi customary court President Charles Koitsiwe.
A weeping Moyo told The Voice in between sniffles that he found the law in Botswana brutal.
"This is not fair at all. How can I be whipped just because I was caught holding a simple metal rod. Some people carry weapons and just because I am a Zimbabwean the law found it fit to humiliate me like this.
"God is the one to judge and he knows that we did not intend to commit any crime as they claim," he said wiping away his tears.
For his part Mabondeni said he had no clue why he was lashed.
" I guess my sin was to be found with Moyo. They searched me and found nothing. The metal rod was in Moyo's pocket, so I was basically lashed for nothing.," he complained.
Reminded that he was convicted on his guilty plea Mabondeni said: "I just wanted to save my time and energy."
Source - news
