27 Mar 2017

A sudden headache which attacked a murder accused, Moabi Mabiletsa, who was giving evidence in chief at the ongoing trial has forced Gaborone High Court judge Justice Maruping Dibotelo to postpone the trial to June this year.
Mabiletsa, who was being led by his defence attorney Mr Kabelo Nkwe, suddenly pointed to the centre of his head indicating to the judge that he was not feeling well as he was attacked by a spell of headache and could not continue testifying.
Earlier on Mabiletsa, who had been testifying from 2pm to 4pm, told the court that the utility sharp shiny knife that was alleged to have been used in the butchering of Deluxe Cabs driver Mr Vincent Mopipi and found in his possession was sometimes borrowed from his former girlfriend’s house by neighbours.
Mabiletsa told the court that on September 13, 2013 he had never gone far away from Bontleng except when he went to buy some food and alcohol at Bontleng shops and popular Kofifi shops in Extension 14 and that he slept early at around 745pm as opposed to earlier assertion by former girlfriend, Goitsemodimo Mogadime, who said he retired from entertainment at around midnight.
He told the court that her former girlfriend’s neighbours were the only people who had the custom of borrowing the knife. He however said that on the night of September 13, 2013 he never took out the knife. DNA of Mr Mopipi was found in the knife which has since formed part of state exhibits.
Mabiletsa further told the court that on September 14, 2013 while still enjoying  beers in the company of his girlfriend and others, plain clothed police officers buckled him into a van and took him to CID South where he was searched andthe knife was retrieved from his waist in the process.
He claimed that he was taken to Gaborone West Police Station where he was tortured in the worst form he could ever think of.
He said that at one point he was inserted and zipped into a black bag used to carry dead people from the scene of crime and subsequently lost consciousness.  
In the meantime he said he told investigating officers that he knew former two accused who were later discharged from the trial, being Tshwanelo Tshimologo and Onthusitse Kgosiethata because they were friends to his former girlfriend.
Mabiletsa however told the court that it was true that he used to take a knife with him at night while going for entertainment purely for self defence, but knew nothing about the murder of Mr Mopipi.
His co-accused Matshidiso Boikanyo has already testified and they will be back in court on June 13, 2017 where Mabiletsa will continue giving evidence before being cross-examined by state prosecutor Ms Sali Boitumelo.ENDS