14 Mar 2016

Molepolole principal magistrate, Mr William Modise has discharged and acquitted three of the four stock theft suspects after they made an application of no case to answer

The magistrate ruled that the first accused, Tlhabologang Hube, a chief representative at Sojwe, who is facing 13 counts of abuse of office has a case to answer and acquitted his co-accused; Thabo Motlhabane, Phanaso Juice Mothebe and Ofentse Dumelang.

In each count, Hube is alleged to have issued 13 incomplete livestock sales permits to the rest of his co-accused.

In his ruling, Mr Modise found that Hube has a case to answer in all the 13 counts as charged, and said the reasons would be advanced during judgement.

The three acquitted suspects were charged with altering livestock sales permits to Meat Zone Butchery in Gaborone Administrative District and not his jurisdiction. 

He said his court could not purport to have powers beyond its prescribed jurisdiction, saying the three acquitted suspects were brought to the Molepolole Magistrate Court for convenience reasons.

He further noted that although the permits were in the names of the three acquitted persons, no evidence was led in court that although the permits were issued in their names, they knew about them. 

He said evidence only states that Mothebe and Dumelang accompanied Motlhabane to the butchery to collect the proceeds.

Meanwhile, Hube has chosen to give sworn evidence on July 28 when he appears before court.

The particulars of the offence are that Hube, as a chief representative, issued 13 incomplete sales permits to the three acquitted persons in illegal livestock dealings between March and April of 201. Ends