05 Apr 2017

A 27-year-old man who has been hiding from the police after being linked with the rape of a Peace Corps volunteer in Hukuntsi was arrested last week Thursday at Matakana village along the Francistown-Orapa Road.

Modiri Puso appeared before Hukuntsi Magistrate, Ms Robin Sethantsho  to answer for three charges he is accused of including alleged burglary, stealing, and rape.

After failing to comply with some of his bail conditions, Magistrate Sentsho was now reluctant to give him another chance of freedom.

The particulars of the offences are that on January 16 in Hukuntsi, Puso unlawfully and with intent to steal, broke and entered a dwelling place; on the same date and at the same place, he raped a peace crop volunteer without.

The accused, according to the charge sheet, further proceeded to steal the victim’s laptop and an iPhone valued at P6 000 and P9 000 respectively.

It is reported that he had failed on numerous occasions to comply with the court order, which required him to report at Hukuntsi Customary Court twice per week and to mention on the set dates.

Following a lengthy wild goose chase, Ms Sethantsho revoked the accused’s bail, citing issues of untrustworthiness and mostly because he had failed to appear for numerous mentions.

She insisted that Puso be remanded at Tshane Prison until the date of the next mention.

In his defence, the accused told the court that he defied the rules because he had relocated to Matakana, where he had been working; he also had no transport fare to travel to Hukuntsi, but he had been reporting at the Tonota Police Station on a number of occasions, he claimed.

Ms Sethantsho dismissed his excuses as tricks and declared that he did not deserve to be out on bail due to his unacceptable behaviour.

As such, she ordered him to seek new sureties because the previous ones; Ms Khumoyame Mosetlhe and Mr Ookame Lekaukau had requested to be counted out.

The accused also requested that he be given an opportunity to seek an attorney to represent him.  ENDS