Cape Town - A Northern Cape man was convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment by the De Aar Magistrate’s Court after breaking into a local primary school.
Alvin Erasmus was convicted on a count of housebreaking after breaking and entering into Alpha Primary School and stealing various food and sporting items valued at R20,000 on December 9, 2022.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the matter was reported to the police and Erasmus was subsequently arrested.
“He pleaded guilty to the charge after evidence in the docket linked him with fingerprints to the crime scene. In his plea explanation, the accused told the court that he was not alone but did not disclose names,” Senokoatsane said.
In aggravation of sentence, advocate Mike Munnik for the State expressed concern about how frequently these types of crimes are committed and submitted that a clear message needed to be sent out by the court to show that such crimes will not go unpunished.
Munnik further called for direct imprisonment as the only suitable punishment for such cases.
“In sentencing, the magistrate expressed concern with how frequent housebreakings in schools are occurring lately and that this cannot be condoned,” Senokoatsane said.
“That the crime for which the accused was found guilty is a serious and prevalent offence in the district of De Aar, and that not only did he steal from the school, but also from the community as the school was for public service.
“The court further noted that the accused’s plea was not an indication of remorse but because the prosecution had a strong case that left him without any other choice but to plead guilty to the charge.”
Delivering sentencing, the court found that the community had a direct interest in these types of sentencing and that a clear message needed to be sent for communities to place their trust in the justice system.
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