29 Aug 2018

Gaborone Broadhurst Chief Magistrate Ms Faith Dlamini-N’gandu has issued a warrant of arrest for a murder accused in the 2015 Oodi murder case, where a younger sister to the targeted victim was killed.
Magistrate Dlamini-N’gandu conceded to prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Tlotlang Balathwa of Broadhurst Police Station Prosecutions Unit’s request to issue a warrant of arrest for Ernest Legwale after he failed to show up in court for a regular mention and court update.
When Legwale’s case was called, but he was nowhere to be found and Assistant Superintendent Balathwa was left with no optionbut to apply for his warrant of arrest as he solemnly told the court that he had no idea about the whereabouts of the accused.
Legwale is on bail after he obtained it from Gaborone High Court, where he approached the court on a certificate of urgency.
Justice Tshepo Motswagole granted the wish under conditions that he should among others; not enter Oodi, where his former wife resides, should not come within a radius of one kilometre 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 he is required.
Legwale, who is represented by attorney David Ndlovu, is charged together with two Zimbabwean men accused of murdering a sister to his former wife on September 10, 2015, in Oodi.
Legwale of Phapane ward in Mochudi appeared together with Zimbabwean Hamadi Nkhuha of Plot 1616, Mmopane Block 1 and are facing a single count of murdering Ms Thato Meswele, who was a sister to his former wife, Dimpho. The third suspect in the matter is still on the run.
It is alleged that on the morning of September 10, 2015, Dimpho’s younger sister went outside the house as they were preparing to go to work, but she was 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 incident, the first accused Ernest was not present and he has since told the police that he has never sent anyone to kill his wife, but had sent the two men to plant a baboon’s skull in the yard so that he could reconcile with his wife, with whom they were going through a process of divorce.
In the meantime, the second accused, Hamadi, has confessed to the crime and recorded a confession statement before a judicial officer.
He has also assisted the investigating team in securing two cell phones and three SIM cards, which may be used to determine previous communication among the accused.
They will be in court on September 11, but should Legwale be arrested before that date, he will appear alone.
Detective Senior Superintendent Sergeant Marapo is the investigating officer in the matter. ENDS