23 Feb 2015

Francistown principal magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu has set March 6 as the next mention date in a case in which 26 year old Zimbabwean national; Bruce Masuku is facing one count of murder, robbery and entering Botswana through an ungazetted point of entry.

Appearing for the state, Directorate of Public Prosecutions’s Thapelo Mafishane told the court that the investigating officer had informed him that they have not yet arrested other people who are also wanted in connection with the case. 

Also, he said that he was told that the police had not established any leads in their investigations. He also informed the court that post-mortem was conducted last Friday and were waiting for the report.

When he was given the chance to say something, the accused pleaded with the court to call the investigating officer to come to court and explain why he was linking him to the crime.

He said he did not know the people who the police are still looking for, saying when he was initially arrested; he thought it was because he was an illegal immigrant.

The Magistrate informed him that his requests would be responded to on the next mention date. He was not asked to plead. 

According to the charge sheet, Masuku allegedly murdered Julia Ookeditse on, while the second count was of robbery of an Isuzu van, which was driven by Maruma Bahiti at Sebina junction on January 31 this year.

On the third count, Masuku was charged for entering Botswana through an ungazetted point at a date not known to the court.

According to the police, the deceased was one of the passengers in the Isuzu, which was from Kasane.

The police said at the junction, a misunderstanding arose, which resulted in the shooting of the deceased and some passengers drove away with the vehicle leaving behind the driver.  ENDS