Fourteen charged for playing cards, dice in public areas

 

Fourteen (14) men have already been arrested and charged as Mahalapye police cracks the whip on anyone found playing cards or dice games in public areas for monetary gain.

The men, aged between 22 and 59 years, were found playing cards near the bus rank, according to Acting Station Commander at Mahalapye Central Police, Assistant Superintendent, Moatlhodi Onalenna.

“We have charged them with idling and disorderly conduct. What those men were doing was a form of gambling and it is illegal in the country. Anyone who wants to gamble should be registered and follow laws,” Onalenna said.

The 14 were charged P300 each as first-time offenders, which fine they all managed to pay that day and escaped spending the night in cold police cells.

Mahalapye police boss said they will not be sparing anyone who they catch playing cards for money. If people want to play cards for entertainment, they should do it in the comfort of their homes and not in public spaces for money.

The position of the police is that when strangers gather and start playing, the end results are usually devastating for losers.

“Nobody likes losing money and if one continuously loses their hard-earned cash to the game, conflicts arise. Some begin demanding their monies back or accuse others of cheating, fights emerge, and players end up stabbing each other with knives,” he said.

Onalenna shared that there have been instances where they received such cases. He said the games are not only being played at the bus rank and malls, but are also very notorious in drinking holes.

“Owners of drinking establishments care less about what their customers do, if the customers are buying beer to boost the business, they ignore what they do while seated and enjoying drinks.

“And because anyone is free to walk into any establishment and buy liquor, it is easy to form large groups and start illegal gambling acts.

“We warn that we will continue being firm and charging people, we appeal to members of the public to report to us when they suspect that people are gambling,” Onalenna appealed.