You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another – Leviticus 19:11
I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION for Acting Magistrate Alliston Seale. He is a person with courage and is not afraid to speak out and call it as he sees it.
It was reported in the DAILY NATION of Thursday, April 16, that he described an accused as the most stupid criminal that he had ever seen. This was based on the evidence which was presented in court.
Can you imagine that any sensible person after stealing a $400 cellphone would answer the phone?
The complainant sent a BlackBerry message to her stolen phone and the accused accepted it and started a series of conversations. The accused was so caught up with the conversations that he sent the complainant a selfie and she (the complainant) asked him to meet her at Lanterns Mall, which he did. When he arrived, the police were there waiting for him. He was really stupid.
For his “stupidity” he was arrested and taken before the Courts. During the trial, the acting magistrate told the accused “there should a special sentence for stupidity”. I like what he asked him – “how much more stupid can a person be?”
He was then fined $1 500 to be paid in three months or he will spend 12 months in jail for stealing a $400 cellphone. When you look at the whole situation the fine of $1 500 could almost give him four cellphones. What is the sense?
I was taught many years ago by my grandmother that the cheapest usually turns out to be the dearest and so it was for him.
Others should learn a lesson from this example and leave things that are not theirs alone and work for what they want. It also shows that technology is good and bad and it should be used for the right purpose at all times.
