06 Sep 2016

One of the survivors of the infamous Gaborone North farm murder and robbery incident has told the Gaborone High Court how he was beaten and stabbed with a knife in the left hand while his companion was brutally assaulted and later died at the hospital.

Mr Oageng Kgano told the court that on the night of August 28, 2013 at around 8 pm while cooking food in the company of Systems Security guard Mr Olebogile Ramapulane at Gaborone North Farm at Tuwane Construction Company camp site, they were suddenly surrounded by five masked men who hauled unprintable insults at them.  

The 49-year-old Kgano, who has been with Tuwane Company since 2012 as a painter, said he was terrified by the men but he managed to jump up and sneak to the house where a Chinese national Mr Liu Jian Hui was sleeping but found the door locked. 

As he was heading to the house, two of the men tailed him and he climbed to the roof of the house with the aid of a tank. 

He said, likewise, the two determined men followed him to the top of the house but seeing that they were catching up with him he descended from the house and headed back to where he later hid in the metal scraps. 

Unfortunately his phone rang while hiding and one of the men grabbed him while his companion stabbed him with a knife on the left hand.

Kgano, who was very elaborative while giving evidence in chief led by Mr Farayi Mawhite from the DPP office, said the men told him to shut up of else he would be killed as he was making a lot of noise.

He said the men took him to the fireplace where he had left the deceased with three other assailants. It is there where one of them told him that he wanted money and that he knew that he was staying in a caravan in the camp.

Though he told him that he had no money he said he began to give him blinding slaps across his face while the others watched with amusement. Consequently he was taken to the caravan by the three of them where the beating continued as he maintained he had no money.

Kgano was subsequently taken back to Ramapulane who was lying down tied with wires on his hands and legs. 

He too was tied and made to lie by his side facing the opposite direction from Ramapulane. 

He was then hooded with inner lining of a bag before being left by the attackers who made for Hui’s house.  

Kago and Ramapulane were later rescued by a certain Mr Zhu who reside in Mogoditshane. Mr Zhu brought with him police officers and were taken to Princes Marina Hospital for medical attention. 

He however noted that he could not speak to his colleague, Ramapulane, as he was unable to talk and his breath was very low. He later learnt the following day that he passed away.

Asked by one of the defence lawyers Ms Wena Isa if he ever entertained himself with alcohol on month ends at the camp, Mr Kgano said he did not take alcohol and rarely left the camp. 

He further told the court that though he had written in his statement that they were attacked by many men while on the other hand said there were five men when giving evidence in chief, he was not trying to tie the accused to the crime just because there were five men in the dock. He told defence lawyer Maswabi Maswabi that what he was saying was the whole truth.

Standing trial are Lebang Thabo Ntesi, Phemelo Tshelang, Gorata Sebego, Patrick Gaile and Mpho Mangwa. 

All the accused are on bail but accused number one, Ntesi, is in custody for a different offense. 

According to the particulars of the offence the five men, who are all residents of Oodi in Kgatleng District, on the night of August 28, 2013 at Gaborone North Farms acting together with a common purpose murdered one night watchman, Mr Olebogile Ramapulane, who was guarding the property at the residence. In the course of their action they also robbed their victims some property and police managed to recover some items which include a lap top and P15 280 cash. 

They were initially charged for attempted murder on Hui. During attempt on his life, Hui was gravely injured and got admitted at Princess Marina Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. 

He has however left the country thus the charge has fallen.

The accused are therefore now facing only two counts and on the first count the five are charged for armed robbery as the sum of P20 000, a computer lap top, a navy blue blazer and a cellphone were stolen during the commission of the crime.

 They pleaded not guilty to the charge.  Likewise they pleaded not guilty to the murder charge in their second count.  

The prosecution team from the DPP is made of Messrs Mawhite and Sharpe Dubula while defence team is made of Ms Isa, Mr Isiah Letlole, Mr Maswabi, Mr Babuseng and Ms Bokani Machinya.  The case continues before Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo. ENDS