07 Apr 2016

One of the defence lawyers in a case in which Matshidiso Boikanyo and Moabi Mabiletsa are facing a single charge of murder has discredited a police officer for having done a shoddy job while packaging material at the scene of crime.

Attorney Kabelo Nkwe, who is representing Mabiletsa, said Sub Inspector Gosegomang Radikeledi of Gaborone West Police Station failed to follow laid down procedures of handling materials and collecting evidence at the scene of crime. 

He said the omission on the part of the state has left substantial information lacking to connect the accused with the crime.  

Mr Nkwe said it was amazing that the police officer, who has over 20 years experience, failed to take the sandals, hat, empty bottle and a vuvuzela which were found in the abandoned taxi cab at Extension 14 for forensic analysis to determine their owner.

The taxi cab was allegedly abandoned at Extension 14 near ZCC after its driver, Vincent Mopipi, was killed and abandoned at Block 9 location while transporting some clients. He was found sprawled on the road with stab wounds which were oozing blood.

Mr Nkwe said it was wrong for the officer to concentrate on picking finger prints only on windows and left important areas such as car doors, cab hole and door handles which were normally areas which passengers or car occupants were susceptible to touch.

In addition, he said the officer could have lifted finger prints from the knife which was allegedly used for the murder. The knife was retrieved from one of the accused.

Mr Nkwe said the officer should have taken some photograph of the scene of crime once more in the morning to show a clear picture of the crime because he had used his vehicles headlights to illuminate the scene as there was no other source of light.

However, Sub Inspector Radikeledi told the court that although he could have omitted some things, he did not do it deliberately as he had sound reasons for that. He noted that when he arrived at the abandoned vehicle the following morning around 10 am, he could see that the scene had been contaminated as he found a lot of people gathered around the vehicle.

Sub Inspector Radikeledi said he found the car unlocked and that he concentrated on lifting the finger prints from all windows in the vehicle. He, however, said he could not get finger prints from the steering wheel or the handles as he perceived the areas to be rough and therefore needed specialised powder which his station did not have. 

Regarding the knife, he said he could also not lift finger prints from it as he considered it to have been contaminated by officers when they handed it to him as it was not sealed.  He said he only packed the knife for forensic analysis. On the other hand, he maintained that they concluded that the items found in the vehicle could have belonged to the deceased, who was found bare footed at the scene of crime.   

Sub Inspector Radikeledi told the court under cross examination from Dikeledi Dingake, representing Boikanyo, that there was no suggestion that one of the people who were gathered around the deceased on the night on September 13, 2013 could have been a suspect in the murder.

He maintained that the deceased was lying on a tarred road which was covered by soil which washed on the road by recent rains. He, however, said he did not know whether he was dead at the scene until he was pronounced so at Julia Melefhe Clinic in Block 9 before being taken to Princess Marina Hospital mortuary.  

The case which is before Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo of Gaborone High Court continues with more state witnesses giving testimony. Ends