12 Apr 2018

The 2012 Ledumadumane murder case, which has been dragging due to various judicial reasons, is scheduled to go on trial in November.

Prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Daphne Gadise recently confirmed that Justice Tshepo Motswagole of the Gaborone High Court has set November 6-7 and November 13-14 as trial dates.

The accused are expected to take pleas.

The case had been subjected to many postponements as at one point the court wanted all state witnesses to be present when it started, while on the other hand, one of the defence lawyers dumped the case after he was implicated in a murder case.

Lead prosecutor, Mr Kutlo Tsekane also resigned from the directorate and that dented the case further as a replacement had to be secured, then study the case before it could continue.  

Again, when the case was to go on full swing with a schedule period of two days, it incidentally halted, owing to late serving of defence with photo albums and documentary statements.

At the time, Mr Tsekane said the defence had therefore asked for a postponement because they had to go and study statements and see which ones they could admit as well as critically study photos showing injuries sustained by the deceased.
Initially, the case was before Justice Bengbame Sechele.

Though the case is set for November, Ms Gadise said she was apprehensive about its commencement.

She was also cagey with information relating to lead witnesses, who were reported to be reluctant to testify.

They included relatives to the deceased and the accused.  

The accused in the matter are Mabogo Lesotlho and his cousin  Kgololo Lesotlho as well as Montwedi Molefe.

The trio is accused of jointly murdering Ishmael Moseki during a football match at Ledumadumane near Mmopane village on February 25, 2012.

According to police reports, argument broke out between supporters of Ledumadumane’s Swallows Football Club and Mmopane’s Molapo Green Birds Football Club leading to one supporter of Green Birds being stabbed with a sharp instrument.

Realising that one of their own had been killed, pandemonium ensued and Green Birds supporters retaliated in a mob fashion and descended on the deceased with anything they could lay their hands on.     

The first accused, Mabogo is represented by Attorney Phemelo Rankoro, while Kgololo, whose attorney is still to be known, was initially represented by Attorney Modise David, who is now accused of the murder of former Fairgrounds Holding chief executive officer.

Molefe is represented by Attorney Anthony Ahulu. ENDS