MASERU – A 34-year-old Maseru man was on Monday sentenced to five years in prison or pay a fine of M5 000 for illegally possessing a firearm.
Seabata Nthethe was arrested last Friday at the Cathedral Area in central Maseru after he was found in possession of a firearm with six rounds of ammunition.
Nthethe failed to produce a certificate for the firearm. He pleaded guilty in court.
Maseru magistrate ‘Mampho Mokoena said cases of armed robbery and murder were on the increase. She said most of the crimes could not be traced as the guns used in the crimes were not registered.
The magistrate said it was the court’s duty to bring offences of this nature to a stop.
Half of the sentence was suspended for two years on condition that Nthethe did not commit a similar crime during the period of the sentence. — Lena.