09 Aug 2018

Molepolole chief magistrate Ms Linah Oahile-Mokibe has denied the Molepolole triple murder suspects bail to give the police more time to complete their investigations and also to allow the prosecution to act without interference. 

Magistrate Oahile-Mokibe said when  delivering the bail ruling, that the court considered the fact that  the matter was still fresh in the eyes of the public and that there was also the need to protect the accused from the ‘angry’ Molepolole community.

She said it was also important to take into account the interest of justice especially in cases of this nature.

The assistant director of Public Prosecution Ms Thato Dibeela had also pleaded with the court to remand the four accused to allow the police  to compile evidence to be placed before court. 

“We need more time to follow information submitted,” adding that granting the quartet bail would prejudice the prosecution case as the accused were likely to interfere with possible state witnesses.

 The prosecution further insisted that the quartet be further remanded in custody on the basis that the prosecution was likely to introduce an additional charge of robbery as some of the deceased’s stolen items were recovered from one of the accused persons.

The defence counsel Sesupo Masaka, representing Tebogo Ramantosha pleaded with the court to take into account the rights of the suspects saying liberty of the accused persons was paramount. He further argued that the court should create balance between the public interest and that of his client, arguing that extension of remand warrant would be a clear violation of his rights.     

The four suspects; Ramantosha, Mmoloki Thaelo, Poloko Segwagwa, and Cornelious Saidoo aged between 27 and 37 from Molepolole, Mogoditshane and Block Seven in Gaborone made brief appearance on allegation of murdering the Ramantosha family after the police had made an intensive search of the alleged  murders.

Each of the four accused is faced with three counts of murder. The charge sheet allege that each of the four suspects jointly and in consent murdered the three Ramantosha family of Ntlolengwae in Molepolole on June 22.  The couple Patrick and Boingotlo Ramantosha aged 55 and 47 together with their 22 year old son Keabetswe were murdered on the night of June 21.

Their bodies  were found lying in the couple’s bedroom suspected to have been murdered with their hands tied at the back and their mouths covered. The police confirmed that  there were no visible injuries evident from the three deceased persons. 

Thaelo, Segwagwa and Saidoo are not represented. They also pleaded for bail on the basis that they would not be affected by how Molepolole community views the matter since they were not residents. They would  appear again for mention on August 23. BOPA