11 Jul 2017

Bobonong Magistrate has denied four men bail, who are alleged to have committed a series of burglary, shop and house-breakings in the village. 

Magistrate, Ms Vinga Kedikilwe denied the accused bail and ordered that they be allowed to seek medical attention at various times because they claimed they sustained injuries when arrested. 

The unemployed quartet, Lesedi Marope, 33 known as Ghoro of Rasetimela ward in Bobonong; Munyakhi Bokang Maposa, 29 of Kafusi, Gwanda in Zimbabwe; William Dube, 24 also from the same place and the forth accused Nametso Comfort Maboka of Rasetimela ward are facing five counts of burglary, stealing from a dwelling house and shop breaking. 

The accused persons told the magistrate that they would conduct their own defence during trail. 

On count one, they are facing a burglary charge and the particulars of the offence are that on the night of July 2 and 3 at Dandane ward acting jointly entered into a dwelling house belonging to one Ms Malebogo Bodirwang with an intent to steal. 

On count two, they are charged for stealing from a dwelling house belonging to Ms Bodirwang where they stole a Lenovo laptop valued at P3 500, Lumia cellphone valued at P2 800, Samsung duos cellphone valued at P1 200, leather jacket valued at P1 200, jacket at valued at P500 and car keys. 

On count three, they are facing a burglary charge for breaking into a dwelling house belonging to Mr Simon Tsedi on March 9 and 10 and stole a firearm and 10 life rounds, while on count five they are charged for shop breaking and theft where they broke into Matshekge Shopping Centre and stole grocery valued at P814.80 on July 2 and 3. 

The prosecutor inspector Mokganedi Gaogetoge of Bobonong police pleaded with the court to deny the accused bail on grounds that the investigations were still ongoing. 

Further, he said the accused persons might escape. He stated that the first accused, Marope had been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for rape by the Selibe Phikwe magistrate court in absentia and had been on the run and a warrant of arrest was issued. 

Further, he stated that Marope had another pending rape case before Bobonong magistrate court and judgement would be passed by magistrate Ms Goabaone Rammapudi on August 14. 

He also informed the court that Maphosa and Dube were residing in Botswana illegally and were flight risk, while the fourth accused Maboka was arrested alongside the accused at his house where some property alleged to have been stolen were linked to the cases they were facing. 

Inspector Gaofetoge also said the police were still investigating some robbery cases in Bobonong and surrounding villages linked to the quartet. 

He said during the arrest, the police faced some resistance from the suspects forcing the police to use firearms, which lead to the first accused being injured in the process. 

Making a plea, the first accused Marope said since the arrest, he has never been interviewed about the charges laid against him and was hearing them in court. 

He said since arrested, the police have denied him a chance to bath at the hospital and visits by his parents. 

He told the magistrate that he did not know the other three accused persons and just meet them in court and refuted claims by the police that he was arrested  with them in Bobonong and claimed that he was arrested in Tsetsebye where he was shot by the police. 

He also stated that since the day of the arrest, he had not taken his ARV treatment and appealed to the court to allow him have access to treatment. 

They will appear for mention July 20. ENDs