R v Posholi (Review Case 29 of 2011) [2011] LSHC 114 (28 July 2011)

IN THE HIGH COUR T OF LE S OTHO In t h e m a t t er b et ween : R E X Vs LE BOHANG P OS HOLI Review Ca s e No. 2 9 / 2 0 1 1 Review Or d er No. 7 / 2 0 1 1 CR 1 2 / 2 0 1 1 Moh a le’s Hoek Dis t r ict OR DE R ON R E VIE W Th e a ccu s ed in th is ca s e is a n a d u lt m a le of a b ou t 3 5 yea rs . He wa s fou n d gu ilty on h is own p lea a n d s en ten ced to 3 yea rs with ou t a n op tion of a fin e. Th e m a tter is b efore th is Cou r t on a u tom a tic review. He wa s ch a r ged with h ou s eb rea k in g with in ten t to a s s a u lt a n d a s s a u lt. Th e Pr os ecu tor a ccep ted th e p lea of gu ilt y a n d ou tlin ed th e evid en ce th a t on 9 t h J a n u a ry 2 0 1 1 a t a r ou n d 2 a m com p la in a n t wa s a s leep with h er d a u gh ter s a t h er h om e wh en s h e h ea r d h er win d ow op en . S h e wok e h er ch ild ren u p a n d told th em to s h ou t for h elp . A p er s on en tered th e b ed r oom . He wa s covered in a b la n k et a n d h e ord ered th em to k eep qu iet. He th en s ta r ted h ittin g th em with a s tick . Com p la in a n t d ecid ed to tu r n off th e ligh t to con fu s e th e in tr u d er , b u t h e u s ed a cellp h on e to ligh t u p a n d p u r s u ed th e com p la in a n t. S h e tr ied to h id e b eh in d a t a b le, b u t h e p u lled it a wa y. Th ere wa s a lot of n ois e a n d com m otion in th e h ou s e. In a wh ile p eop le s ta rted ga th er in g ou ts id e. Th e villa ger s th en s u r r ou n d ed th e h ou s e a n d two m en en tered . Th ey p u t on th e ligh t a n d fou n d th e cu lp r it to b e a ccu s ed , Leb oh a n g Pos h oli. Th e a ccu s ed wa s a p p reh en d ed a n d th e m a tter wa s th en rep or ted to th e ch ief a n d th e p olice. He wa s th en a r res ted a n d ch a r ged . Th e a ccu s ed a greed with th e ou tlin e a n d wa s fou n d gu ilty a s ch a r ged . Th e Cou r t a s k ed a ccu s ed if h e k n ew com p la in a n t a n d h e a n s wered th a t h e d id b eca u s e th ey live in th e s a m e villa ge. As to wh y h e wou ld b rea k in to s om eb od y’s h ou s e a n d s ta r t a s s a u ltin g th em a n d p u r s u e th em a s h e d id even wh en th ey tr ied to r u n a wa y a ccu s ed res p on d ed th a t h e h a d gon e to a fea s t d u r in g th e d a y a n d got h im s elf s o d r u n k th a t h e d id n ot k n ow wh a t h e wa s d oin g. Th e Ma gis tr a te con s id ered th e offen ce to b e a n u n wa r r a n ted a n d viciou s a tta ck on com p la in a n t a n d h er ch ild ren in th e s a fety of th eir h om e. Th e a ction s of a ccu s ed a p p ea red to b e con s ciou s a n d d elib er a te a n d h e clea r ly k n ow wh a t h e wa s d oin g. Th e s en ten ce of th ree yea rs with ou t a n op tion of a fin e wa s h eld to b e a p p r op r ia te a fter ta k in g a ll fa ctor s in to a ccou n t. I con fir m b oth con viction a n d s en ten ce on review. Th e p r oceed in gs a re cer t ified to b e in a ccord a n ce with rea l a n d s u b s ta n tia l ju s tice. _______________ L. A. MOLE TE ACTING J UDGE 2 8 J u ly, 2 0 1 1 CC: All Ch ief Ma gis tr a tes All Ma gis tr a tes Ma gis tr a te Moh a le’s Hoek All Pu b lic Pr os ecu tor s O/ C Police Moh a le’s Hoek O/ C Pr is on Moh a le’s Hoek CID – Moh a le’s Hoek Director of Pu b lic Pr os ecu tion s 3