08 May 2016

Broadhurst Magistrate Nthabiseng Merafhe-Tladi has ordered the Princess Marina Hospital to have evaluated the mental fitness of a Block 3 murder suspect, Gaofenngwe Selaolo with immediate effect or at least by June this year .

Magistrate Nthabiseng-Tladi made the order after the prosecutor in the case, Sub inspector Modukanele told the court that the hospital had scheduled Selaolo’s psychiatric assessment to be conducted in November this year, a date she deemed far away.

Sub inspector Modukanele had reasoned that investigations into the murder of 11-year-old Clifford Mochocho, who was stepson to the accused were almost complete and therefore it would be awkward to stretch the psychiatric assessment on the other hand.

Meanwhile the court heard that the accused has so far lodged a case with Central Police Station against police officers who assaulted her while she was being interrogated. On the other hand she has also sought medical examination at Extension 2 Clinic for the bruises she suffered.

On April 21, 2016 Selaolo told the Broadhurst Magistrate Court that investigating officers had tortured her and as a result she sustained bruises. She therefore pleaded with Magistrate Merafhe-Tladi to tell the officers to desist from doing that as she was forced “to  say things which were not true.”

When quizzed by the magistrate as to what she did after being tortured, she told the packed court that she reported the matter to prison officers.

At the time when she was asked if she knew anything about the matter, prosecutor Modukanele denied any knowledge of the matter, but promised to investigate the merits of it. She however advised the accused to open a case against the officers which the magistrate in turn ordered her to assist the accused to formally open case against the police. 

Meanwhile the accused has been further remanded in prison and will appear again on May 13 when the doctor’s report of the deceased is expected to be ready.  The accused was arrested on March 13, 2016 after police were informed that she was the last one to be seen with young Mochocho whose remains were exhumed on April 12, 2016 near a hill in Mankgodi. He had reportedly disappeared on March 01, 2016 after he failed to come back from Bosele Primary School. ENDS