23 Jan 2018

A second accused in the murder of a security guard at Tuwana Construction Camp site in Gaborone North Farms, Phemelo Tshelang has Monday narrated to the Gaborone High Court a similar storyline to that of first accused, Lebang Thabo Ntesi.

Giving unsworn evidence before court led by his defence attorney Mr Isiah Letlole, Tshelang said he has never been at Tuwana Construction Camp site except when they were taken to the alleged murder and robbery scene by SSKA police on the back of a Mahindra van on August 28, 2013.

According to Tshelang (26) when he woke up on the morning of the fateful day, he greeted his mother and later told her that he was visiting his friend Lebang Ntesi, who he found cleaning the new yard in the company of his younger brother whom is commonly called Scara. He said Ntesi then asked him to assist them of which he obliged and finish cleaning the yard at around 5 in the evening.

Upon finishing he told the court that he asked Ntesi if they could go inside the house and watch some movies from the flash stick which he was carrying and indeed the three watched the movies until late at 8 when they now retired to bed together because he could not go to his house as he said it was late.

He however told the court that they were awaken by a banging noise of the door early in the morning at around 4 am, only to discover that it was officers from Security Systems whom upon entry into the house started assaulting them with batons.

He said they did not tell them why they are being assaulted and also took his shoes and later called the police who came and took them to SSKA Police Station where they were locked in the cells until late in the afternoon when they were taken to Tuwana Construction Camp site. There, he said, they were shown shoe prints around the compound and nothing else. He further denied that there was ever a fight among themselves for unequal sharing of the loot while under police custody.

Standing trial are; Lebang Thabo Ntesi, Phemelo Tshelang, Gorata Humble Sebego, Patrick Gaile and Mangwa. All the accused are on bail but accused number one, Ntesi, who is in custody for a different offense.

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 allegedly murdered night watchman, Mr Olebogile Ramapulane, who was guarding at Tuwana Construction Site camp.

In the course of robbery they stole items such as cellphones a Chinese passport which later came out to be a Chinese identity card, a laptop, a laptop charger and a diary. All items were admitted before court as part of evidence.

They were initially charged for attempted murder on Mr Liu Jian 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 off. Ends