News / Africa
Convicted double murderer sentenced to 10 years
01 May 2016 at 06:53hrs | Views
Provocation may have caused an illegal Zimbabwean immigrant to kill his two countrymen in 2011, Justice Phadi Solomon said, when passing sentence in a double murder case on Tuesday.
The convict, Leornard Mpofu, was found guilty of killing Jonathan Moyo and Nthabiso Moyo with a knife on November 4, 2011 at Takotshane cattlepost in the Central District after a drinking spree.
Mpofu was sentenced to 10 years in jail for each of the two murder counts.
Justice Solomon ruled that the sentences run concurrently and be backdated to November, 2011 when Mpofu was first incarcerated. She added that Mpofu should be deported from Botswana as soon as he completes his sentence.
Passing sentence, Justice Solomon said she took into consideration what the accused through his attorney Adebola Ajayi said in mitigation.
"The convict is an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe who was not granted bail since 2011 after he was arrested, for the sole reason that he came to Botswana illegally," she said.
"The period he spent in jail has given him ample time to reflect on what he has done and be remorseful for his actions."
The convict, Solomon explained, has been cooperating with authorities and attended all court sessions.
He was provoked by the deceased who were harassing his girlfriend and reacted in the manner that he did.
"I have no doubt that alcohol influenced him to act in the manner he did," she added. "Although he came to Botswana illegally, he was a law abiding person and was gainfully employed as a herdsman
and he never had any brushes with the law before he committed these offences."
Solomon added that she treated Mpofu as a first time offender who had not planned to go and commit the offences.
Nancy Ebineng from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) represented the state in the matter.
Similarly, trouble seems to be following a 29-year-old man from Lerala who is charged with a murder he committed while on bail. Elija William is accused of killing his girlfriend, Maitumelo Moeng, in August 2013 at Morupule lands.
A warrant of arrest was issued for William's arrest in September 2015 after he failed to appear in court as scheduled, for no valid reasons.
In the latest case that is before Justice Zibani Makhwade, the state says William killed the grandmother of his new girlfriend by hitting her with a rod on the head in February this year.
Justice Makhwade ruled that the accused should be remanded in custody until the finalisation of all his matters because it seems like he had the propensity to commit offences and miss court while on bail.
Attorney Antonio Luanda represents the accused in the first offence while Keneilwe Jeremia from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) represents the state.
William is yet to be allocated another attorney in the second count. He is due in court in September.
The convict, Leornard Mpofu, was found guilty of killing Jonathan Moyo and Nthabiso Moyo with a knife on November 4, 2011 at Takotshane cattlepost in the Central District after a drinking spree.
Mpofu was sentenced to 10 years in jail for each of the two murder counts.
Justice Solomon ruled that the sentences run concurrently and be backdated to November, 2011 when Mpofu was first incarcerated. She added that Mpofu should be deported from Botswana as soon as he completes his sentence.
Passing sentence, Justice Solomon said she took into consideration what the accused through his attorney Adebola Ajayi said in mitigation.
"The convict is an illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe who was not granted bail since 2011 after he was arrested, for the sole reason that he came to Botswana illegally," she said.
"The period he spent in jail has given him ample time to reflect on what he has done and be remorseful for his actions."
The convict, Solomon explained, has been cooperating with authorities and attended all court sessions.
He was provoked by the deceased who were harassing his girlfriend and reacted in the manner that he did.
"I have no doubt that alcohol influenced him to act in the manner he did," she added. "Although he came to Botswana illegally, he was a law abiding person and was gainfully employed as a herdsman
Solomon added that she treated Mpofu as a first time offender who had not planned to go and commit the offences.
Nancy Ebineng from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) represented the state in the matter.
Similarly, trouble seems to be following a 29-year-old man from Lerala who is charged with a murder he committed while on bail. Elija William is accused of killing his girlfriend, Maitumelo Moeng, in August 2013 at Morupule lands.
A warrant of arrest was issued for William's arrest in September 2015 after he failed to appear in court as scheduled, for no valid reasons.
In the latest case that is before Justice Zibani Makhwade, the state says William killed the grandmother of his new girlfriend by hitting her with a rod on the head in February this year.
Justice Makhwade ruled that the accused should be remanded in custody until the finalisation of all his matters because it seems like he had the propensity to commit offences and miss court while on bail.
Attorney Antonio Luanda represents the accused in the first offence while Keneilwe Jeremia from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) represents the state.
William is yet to be allocated another attorney in the second count. He is due in court in September.
Source - Mmegi
