05 May 2016

Francistown magistrate, Mr Dumisani Basupi, has granted Bonno Ikanyeng bail pending appeal of her sentence to the High Court.

Ikanyeng (33), a secondary school teacher, was early this year convicted of arson and sentenced to eight years imprisonment and also ordered to compensate the concerned parties the amount of over P4 million.

Magistrate Basupi said the accused should pay P2 000, provide two sureties of P1 000 each, report every Friday to the nearest police station, surrender her travel documents to the police and not to leave Tutume without the knowledge of the police.

He said the accused should also attend court and advise it on the progress of the appeal on a monthly basis, adding that failure to honour any of the conditions would lead to the court revoking the bail.

Furthermore, he said any party interested in the reasons of his bail ruling should make a request to the court in writing.

Ikanyeng was in January convicted for setting on fire the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) barracks and destroying Botswana government property valued at P2 610 323.50 and soldiers’ property valued at P1 765 865 in 2013.

Previously when sentencing the accused, Magistrate Basupi indicated that the offence carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment but he took into consideration that the accused was a first offender and a mother of three children whose husband was unemployed. Ends