The Gaborone West customary court was recently compelled to suspend whipping a guilty offender after the accused produced a letter from his attorney stating that his client be tried before another court.
Boitshoko Ketlareng, 24, of Maalosoangwana Ward in Serowe but residing at Broadhurst, pleaded with the court that his case be transferred to a subordinate court as he had engaged the services of an attorney.
The presiding officer, David Setshwane, and the prosecutor, Constable Bosena Motsele of Gaborone Police Station, agreed to suspend carrying out sentence on Ketlareng.
Setshwane further told the accused that his case would be sent to the Customary Court of Appeal.
However, Ketlareng’s joy of triumph was short-lived as the presiding officer reminded him that he should not be surprised if, in the near future, he is summoned to stand trial in the same court for the same charge as the court of appeal, seeing how trivial the matter was, could direct that he be tried before the same court despite the services of the hired attorney.
The court learnt that on December 3, 2006, at a party, Ketlareng harassed party revelers at a Gaborone West location and eventually sprayed the revelers with a spray rendering one Victor Ntau unconscious.
