07 Jul 2016

Broadhurst Court Magistrate, Ms Nthabiseng Merafhe-Tladi has ordered that a psychosomatic assessment on murder-accused Gaofenngwe Selaolo be conducted as early as possible to enable the case to be committed to High Court.

Magistrate Merafhe-Tladi made the order after the prosecutor in the case, Sub-inspector Onkemetse Modukanele of Broadhurst Police Station told the court that the August scheduled date has now been pushed to September 1 this year.

The rescheduling of the mental assessment on the accused has the potential to bring unnecessary delays in committing the case, the court observed.

In the meantime, Sub-inspector Modukanele told the court that they are yet to receive DNA results and the post mortem results from the pathologist who conducted it from the badly decomposed body of the young victim.

On the other hand, Selaolo, a Block 3 resident who is accused for the murder of 11-year-old Clifford Mochocho early this year, for the first time requested for bail, noting that her young siblings who are currently staying with her ailing mother needed more attention.

However, the court made an order that the investigating officer should come and testify whether it would be a wise move to give her bail at the next mention billed for next week. 

The investigator is further expected to update the court on the investigations so far.

The accused was arrested on March 13, 2016 after police were informed that she was the last one seen with young Mochocho whose remains were exhumed on April 12, 2016 near a hill in Mankgodi. He had reportedly disappeared on March 1, 2016 after he failed to come back from Bosele Primary School, where he was a student.

Like in the last mention, this time around Selaolo, who does not have a legal counsel, looked more composed and the absence of photojournalists made her day as she did not have to duck and hide herself from flashing cameras.

She looked more relaxed in her khaki two-piece suite complemented with light brown half boots and a shining bracelet on her right hand. 

The accused will return for another mention on July 13. Ends