Cape Argus E-dition

Thief’s jail sentence slashed

MWANGI GITHAHU mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za

A HANDBAG thief sentenced to 18 months in prison after he broke the conditions of his 36-month correctional supervision, has received respite after a Western Cape High Court judge reduced his sentence to eight months.

At his trial in September 2019, Kyle Esau, now 34, had pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting and robbing Rowena Muthien of her handbag. In the statement he made on his arrest, he said he had seen Muthien walking in the street and grabbed the handbag off her shoulder. While trying to run away, he was stopped by a taxi driver and he was apprehended.

When the matter appeared before the magistrate in 2019, Muthien begged the court to give him another chance as she had learnt that he was a breadwinner. Esau was sentenced to 36 months correctional supervision plus a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition he was not found guilty of robbery or attempted robbery during the period of suspension.

However in March, Bellville Community Corrections said Esau had failed to comply with the conditions of his sentence by changing his address without consultation. Esau admitted moving to Rondebosch after his mother died.

Esau appealed against the sentence in the High Court, where acting Judge James Lekhuleni set aside the 18-month imprisonment.

METRO

en-za

2021-08-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

http://capeargus.pressreader.com/article/281539409003983

African News Agency