02 Jun 2015

The deteriorating health condition of one of the accused in the Trojan Security robbery case, Meshack Kangangwane, prompted the court to adjourn to allow him to seek medical attention.

His ill health prompted forced Magistrate Faith Dlamin Ng’andu to call for postponement saying she did not want to see the accused dying while in the dock.

Kangangwane, a former employee of Trojan Security company, Gerald Zikhale and two deceased persons; Brutas Mokgalo and Motlhatlhobi Bagopi were accused of robbing the security company P2 million. The other fifth person, Onkabetse Malope. has since turned accomplice witness.

The postponement came minutes after Malope who is key prosecution witness started being cross examined by the defence, Gosiame Digangwa.

Ms Dlamin Ng’andu adjourned the matter after realising that the accused’s health was in jeopardy and ordered that he be taken for medical examination and the court furnished with medical report relating to his health condition.

The magistrate was not happy with the fact that both the defence and the prosecution did not highlight anything relating to the accused’s health condition, though he, the accused, had briefed them about his condition.

The visibly ill Kangangwane told the court that he underwent a major surgery last April and that he has not yet recovered.

The postponement came when the defence counsel Digangwa was taking a swipe on Malope forcing her to contradict the initial evidence about the actual part played by both Kangangwane and Zikhale at the crime scene.

The witness said though Kangangwane and Zikhale took part in the planning process, he could not confirm whether they took part or were present at the crime scene.

Malope confirmed that although Kangangwane masterminded the robbery as an insider, he could not confirm who did what at the crime scene because he was left at Gabane junction to watch Trajan Security vehicle passing with the consignment to Bank Gaborone in Gantsi.

“I cannot confirm who was at the crime scene and that the people I saw at the filling station were the very ones who robbed Trojan Security Company and I therefore not in a position to tell who did what since I was not present at the crime scene”, stated Malope.

The DPP chief prosecutor, Ms Thato Dibeela is expected to call 33 prosecution witnesses to testify against Kangangwane and Zikhale. She did not object to postponement confirming that the accused actually briefed her before the case resumed.

Meanwhile, Ms Dlamin Ng’andu would on June 04 sentence 32-year-old Kagiso Sediamabogo of Thamaga convicted of raping a 58 year woman of the same village sometime October 2010.

The sentencing was deferred following a request by the prosecution to have the accused finger printed to establish whether he is a first offender or not.

In her judgement, the presiding magistrate said she was convinced that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused. She said evidence of the prosecution witness was corroborating including the DNA analysis that confirmed that the accused had contact with the victim.

She said despite plea by the victim’s daughter who tried to stop the accused against his intention, calling him by name as he was well-known by the family, the accused could not budge and went on to rape the victim. ENDS