03 Nov 2014

The Sebele Mall Filling Station robbery case continued on October 31 following attendance of an accomplice witness, Agisanyang Mokopo, who was unable to make it to court due to miscommunication between him and the prosecution.

The case, which is presided over by Village Chief Magistrate Linah Oahile-Mokibe and prosecuted by Ms Tlhabologo Boitumelo of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), was however able to proceed with one state witness giving evidence before postponed to another date.

The prosecutor Ms Boitumelo asked the court to halt the case because she was not feeling well.

Giving evidence in chief, Mokopo, a resident of Mogobane, told the court that on the fateful day of February 5, 2012, when he arrived in Gaborone from Molepolole at around 8pm, he immediately called Bampoloki Kgangpetsa, who is accused number two, enquiring where he was as they were close associates particularly in the taxi piracy business.

The court heard that Kgangpetsa asked Mokopo to meet him at Sebele filling station where upon their meeting they were requested by one lady to transport her to Segoditshane near police houses, adjacent to Bull and Bush, a request they jumped for without hesitation.

Thereafter they headed for Gaborone West Shopping Complex where he left Kgangpetsa in the car and to buy some food.

He also told the court that when he went back to the car he found Kgangpetsa with two men; Golwelwang Efedile (out on bail) and another not before the court and referred to only as Malangane (tall man), because of his towering height.

The trio, he said, were embroiled in a deep conversation before they left for Mmopane and arrived at a certain yard which he did not know, where he was ultimately informed of the robbery plan of the filling station by Kgangpetsa while the duo were out to collect Joseph Gaie, whom he too saw for the first time.

Further, the court heard that the five men then left for another yard where they collected four cooper hats and then drove back to Gaborone West Shopping Mall, where they entertained themselves, while Efedile kept on communicating to another at the filling station asking about movement of people and the right time to come.

They five men later left for the filling station at around 0200hrs after receiving a call where Gaie and Malangane who were putting on copper hats went inside the quick shop while Makopo and Efedile remained by the door whereas Kgangpetsa remained in the car. 

Efedile, he said, was carrying something which resembled a pistol and when the security guard who was patrolling outside saw them he ran for his life screaming at the top of his voice.

“The ladies inside the shop immediately lied down and the duo took two cash tills, cigarettes and airtime before we hurryingly left the scene for a certain homestead in Ledumang where I was left in  the car to guard while the rest went inside after Gaie knocked in the door of a certain house,” he said calmly. 

Makopo said roughly after 45 minutes his companions emerged from at the house and he was given P240, airtime worth P300 and 2x20 packet Marlboro cigarettes before heading towards Ledumang Primary School where the two cash tills were disposed-off.

He was later dropped at Gaborone West Shopping Mall where they parted ways. However under cross examination from all the accused, who claimed they did not know, Makopo maintained that though they wanted to absolve themselves from the crime, what he had just told the court was true. 

He also described the type of the getaway car, which belonged to Kgangpetsa.  The court saw the car as it had been under police care. 

The trial continues on January 23, 2015, when the last state witness, an investigating officer would give evidence. The trio is accused of robbing Sebele Mall Filling Station at gun point where cash, cigarettes and airtime totalling P7000 were stolen.  ENDS