Mohale’s Hoek, Oct.23 — The court of the Magistrate has fined a fifty-two year old Chinese national Lin Chigen M10,000.00 or 2 years imprisonment, M 6,000.00 or 2 years imprisonment and another M10, 000.00 or 2 years imprisonment, after finding him guilty of illegal possession of 2 pump actions rifles, five pistols and 74 ammunitions in his business at Ha Putsoane in Phamong.
However half of the sentences which are to run concurrently, have been suspended for 2 years, on condition that Chigen does not commit a similar crime.
When delivering his verdict, Magistrate Selebeleng Selebeleng indicated that the court has taken into account that most brutal killings which are spiralling out of control in the country are being carried out with illegal firearms, of which once lead to the suspension of the issuance of licences, adding that police officers have also been pleading with individuals to voluntarily hand over illegal firearms and they would not be charged.
Magistrate Selebeleng further asserted that the country as a whole is concerned about the use of illegal firearms, highlighting that as a foreigner, Chigen should have tried to find precise information and followed a legal route of possessing a fire arm, and concluded by stating that the ruling is meant to pass a clear message to those who might be tempted to commit a similar offence. . .
Ends/MAMO/ml
