08 Jun 2016

The murder trial in which a Mogoditshane resident, Lamodisa Ratsie is facing a single count of unlawful murder is expected to start in two weeks-time after it was postponed last year September.

Gaborone High Court judge, Justice Leatile Dambe postponed the case to June 22-23, 2016 after three state witnesses testified on what transpired on the day in which Ratsie allegedly stabbed and killed his victim at a shebeen.

The third state witness to give an account of what happened told the court that the deceased, who was his friend, died when he was trying to restrain some men who were robbing him (witness).

Robert Keikabile said he was sober when he was robbed of his wallet containing money shortly before his friend was stabbed to death with a knife.

Giving evidence in chief, Keikabile said he was about to buy a pint of Chibuku at Ms Obamang Dikgang’s shebeen in Kgodiring ward in Mogoditshane on the night of November 30, 2011, when he was pushed from the side, and that as he looked he saw his wallet flying up in the air and dropping down.

He said when his friend, Elijah Modise, who is the deceased, tried to grab the wallet from the ground he was threatened by Ratsie and his friend, only identified as Tom.

He said Ratsie slapped Modise across his face and that when Modise tried to retaliate he stabbed him above his left breast with a knife and he fell down.

Keikabile, who was led by the DDP’s Kealeboga Kapeko, told the court that he had not been drinking as he was busy watching a game of snooker while Ratsie and

Tom were busy dancing to the music which came from jukebox that was housed in the tuck shop.

He told the court that he has never recovered his P450 and an FNB debit card which were stolen by Ratsie and Tom.

Although it was around 10pm, he said he was able to see everything because there was enough light from the outside lamp of the tuck shop.

“I had been sober all along and that could have been my first drink, but I did not know the sobriety of Ratsie though he had taken some alcohol,” he said.

Keikabile further said he had seen Ratsie before, adding that it was not true that the deceased hit Ratsie with a blow and threatened that he would “delete him.”

When giving evidence, Ms Dikgang or Mma-Happy, as commonly called, told the judge that she saw Ratsie stabbing Modise with a knife on the night of November 30.

Ms Dikgang told the court that the incident happened shortly after the accused pick-pocketed a wallet belonging to Keikabile.

She said an altercation ensued between the deceased and the accused, and that the former was unfortunately stabbed with a knife and staggered backwards before falling down.

The other state witness who has already testified is Samuel Machara, whom the alleged knife was obtained hidden by Ratsie in the drawers of his room.

Ratsie, who is on bail, is represented by attorney Ofentse Khumomotse while the state is represented by Messrs Kapeko and Fohlani Daniel. ENDS