05 Aug 2015

The Sebele Mall Filling Station robbery case, which has been dragging for the past three years, is expected to resume end of this month.

The prosecution and defence confirmed August 31 as continuation date for trial. 

The trial could have continued on January 23, 2015, but the absence of one of the accused, Joseph Gaie, whose bail has since been revoked, because of another criminal offence, made it difficult for the court to proceed without him. 

The marathon case could result in custodial sentence of not less than 10 years, should the accused be found guilty as charged. 

The case attracted a lot of attention since it started, particularly that some of the accused had a field day with journalists and prison warders by pelting them with missiles within their reach, resulting in the breaking of a still camera for Mmegi Newspaper, 

A charge of malicious damage to property was opened against Gaie but the paper, Mmegi Newspaper, had since been reluctant to purse it after allegedly claiming from the insurance, while the prosecution authority on one hand  was in possession of the docket and could institute it. 

The anticipated trial, where the investigating officer would be the last state witness to take stand, would further afford time for Gaie to fully explain to the court why he was not present at the time when the case was scheduled to continue. 

Earlier during mention on August 4, Village Chief Magistrate, Mrs Linah Oahile-Mokibe said it would be not procedural for Gaie to start explaining his non-attendance during the last sitting in the absence of the substantive prosecutor, Ms Tlhabologo Boitumelo.

The previous state witness to give evidence on October 31, 2014 was an accomplice witness Agisanyang Makopo, but the case could not proceed to the end since the prosecutor became indisposed because of illness towards the end of the day, thus forcing the matter to be adjourned to January this year. 

Gaie is jointly charged with Golwelwang Efedile and Bampoloki Kgangpetsa for robbing Sebele Mall Filling Station at gun point on February 5, 2012 where cash, cigarettes and airtime totaling P7 000 were stolen. Gaie is the only one remanded after violating his bail conditions. Ends