05 Apr 2018

A Mochudi man accused of plotting the murder of his wife in partnership with two Zimbabwean men was recently granted bail by Gaborone High Court judge, Justice Tshepo Motswagole. 

Lead investigator in the case, detective senior superintendent Sergeant Marapo confirmed to BOPA that Ernest Legwale through his lawyer David Ndlovu, made a successful bail application on March 28, 2018 before justice Motswagole on certificate of urgency.

However, the bail came out with a number of conditions and chief among them that Legwale should not enter Oodi where his now former wife resides, should not come within a radius of 1km within Naledi Senior Secondary School where she works, ordered to surrender his passport, not to go outside the country by any means, not to interfere with possible state witnesses, report fortnightly at Broadhurst Police Station and appear before court as and when required.

Legwale is charged together with two Zimbabwean men who are accused of murdering a sister to his former wife on September 10, 2015 in Oodi.

Legwale of Phaphane ward in Mochudi, together with Zimbabwean Hamadi Nkhuha of Plot 1616, Mmopane Block 1 are expected to appear again for mention before chief magistrate, Ms Faith Dlamini-N’gandu on April 9. 

They are facing a single count of murder after the demise of Ms Thato Meswele, who was a sister to Legwale's former wife, Dimpho. 

The third suspect in the matter is still on the run.

During their maiden appearance, detective senior superintendent Marapo said the case has taken the police two years to investigate until recently when they got a tip off and made the arrest and therefore pleaded with the court not to grant the duo bail moreso that they had just been arrested on February 20, 2018.

It is alleged that on the morning of September 10, 2015, Dimpho’s younger sister, Meswele, went outside the house as they were preparing to go to work, but she was accidentally hit by an assailant with a hard object on her heard and sustained a deep wound.

She was taken to Princess Marina Hospital where she died four days later.

At the time of the incident, the first accused, Legwale, was not present and he had since told the police that he had never sent anyone to kill his wife, but had sent the two men to go and plant a head of a baboon in the yard so that he could reconcile with his wife. They were going through a process of divorce. 

In the meantime, the second accused, Nkhuha has already confessed to the crime and recorded a confession statement before a judicial officer. ENDS