17 Apr 2018

The newly appointed Gaborone High Court judge, Justice Omphemetse Motumise has set September 12 as a trial date for the case of Zimbabwean born Taku Gandari, who is accused for the murder of his wife sometime in 2013.

However, since Defence Attorney, Boingotlo Toteng was not present when the new tentative trial dates were set, the court ordered that the accused should come for mention on May 29, where Mr Toteng will also have to be present to confirm trial dates of September 12-13.

The trial failed to proceed last December when Justice Boipuso Tshweneyagae’s work contract expired, therefore the matter had to be brought before Justice Godfrey Radijeng for mention.

In the meantime, state prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mr Goabaone Motlhagodi said he was optimistic that the trial would go as scheduled and bring the five-year-old matter to finality.

Meanwhile, the court still has to content with the issue of language to be used during trial because in June last year when the trial was just about to commence, the accused asked the court that he be allowed to use Setswana instead of his native Shona language.

He told the court that he was comfortable with the use of Setswana and as such he does not need a Shona interpreter.

His lawyer, Mr Toteng assured the court that Gandari was perfect in Setswana and should be allowed to use it, a development which Justice Tshweneyagae said would be put in record. However, when the case came to court for the second day, still in June, the court brought in a Shona interpreter, a move that did not settle well with Gandari.

Although he temporally relented and spoke Shona language to the interpreter, Gandari at the end of the sitting requested the court to allow him to use Setswana when the trial resumes.

He told Justice Tshweneyagae that he does not want to use Shona language at all as he prefers to use Setswana because he is well conversant with the language.

“Monngame ke kopa go dirisa Setswana ka ke se itse sentle fela thata.

Ga ke tlhoke Shona interpreter”, the soft spoken Gandari told the court, prompting Justice Tshweneyagae to ask attorney Toteng to consult further with his client on the matter.

Gandari is accused of the murder of his wife, Omphile, with whom he stayed together with their three children at Maipei ward in Mmopane in March 8, 2013 after the two had a heated argument and altercation which resulted in her death.

Gandari is a builder by profession and has constructed many houses in the sprawling Mmopane village, where he is well known.

His children are currently staying with their grandmother.

Gandari has been in custody since his arrest after he handed himself to the police.

The state in the case is represented by Mr Motlhagodi and Ms Omphemetse Morebodi from the DPP while defence team is made of Mr Toteng and Ms Anisha Jeelabdeen. ENDS