19 Mar 2013

Francistown Magistrate, Mr Sijabuliso Siziba has said a psychiatric report for the double murder accused, Thebe Ndjavera, cannot be the only ground used by the prosecution to keep the accused in custody.

Mr Siziba said the unavailability of the report cannot be used to deny Ndjavera an opportunity to apply for bail as it will be prejudice. He ruled that on April 3, both the accused person and the prosecution must come to address the court on the matter of bail application.

The prosecutor, Inspector Alexandra Phale had earlier said the psychiatric report of the accused was not yet available and therefore pleaded for Ndjavera’s further detention.

He said he was not ready to argue Ndjavera’s bail application because the case docket has to be handed to Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who can address the application.

Inspector Phale further explained the forensic and post mortem reports were not yet available and the docket is therefore, not ready to be handed to DPP.

The 22-year-old is facing two counts of murder of his two toddler daughters aged two and four years.

It is alleged that Ndjavera of Donga location in Francistown, used a sharp instrument to murder the toddlers on February 4 in Somerset East location. ENDS