19 Nov 2017

A Serowe man of Botalaote ward who allegedly raped and robbed his victim on the eve of Botswana’s 51st Independence celebration, September 29, 2017 will come for Case Management Conference (CMC) on November 28, 2017.

The new development comes after 34-year-old Motshidisi Letsweletse who is unemployed, changed his plea of guilty to not guilty thus automatically compelling the prosecution to abandon its plan to present summary of facts to enable the case to end without going through trial stage.

Letsweletse, who has a son back home, allegedly committed the crimes and vanished into thin air, but surprisingly on October 02, 2017 presented himself before Mogoditshane Police Station where he told officers that he is responsible for the said crimes.

Interestingly, while he was still reporting himself, his victim who is a 16 year-old girl arrived at the police station accompanied by his elder brother to report the matter.

The accused had allegedly told the brother to the victim that he has raped his sister who then decided not to report the matter.

On the first count, the court heard that Letsweletse on September 29, 2017 at Mmopane Block 1 in the Kweneng District unlawfully had carnal knowledge of a woman without her consent.

On the second count, the accused is said to have on the same occasion robbed his victim of a black Vodacom Android cellular phone valued at P500, 5 X 200ml Tropical mango juices values at P60, 1kg Nutri Day double cream yoghurt valued at P23 and 5kg chicken braai pack valued at P150.

The accused is said to have used personal violence to the said victim during commission of the crime. The stolen grocery was discovered intact in an abandoned house, while the accused handed the stolen cellphone to the police when he went to report himself.

Meanwhile, inspector Tsogo Rantopa of Mogoditshane Police Station prosecutes, while Gaborone Broadhurst Chief Magistrate, Ms Faith Dlamini-N’gandu presides over the case.

Letsweletse in the meantime remains in custody.ENDS