07 Sep 2018

An accused in the rape and robbery case has successfully petitioned the court to have his bail varied so that he could go and tend to his livestock back home in Serowe.

When he appeared before Gaborone Chief Magistrate for mention on Monday, Letsweletse Motshidisi requested the court to allow him to report to Serowe Police Station as opposed to Mogoditshane Police Station where he currently reports fortnightly on Mondays.

With an above whisper voice, Motshidisi, who is always dressed in white, told the court that he wished to go home to tend to his livestock, noting that since he was far away from them he was unable to properly look after them.

Reacting to the request Magistrate Faith Dlamini-N’gandu concurred with him, noting that since Motshidisi had been religiously reporting himself to the police he could now report to Serowe while other bail conditions do not change. 

He will come for a continuation of trial on December 4.

The 34-year-old Letsweletse of Botalaote ward in Serowe is alleged to have on September 29, 2017, at Mmopane Block 1 in the Kweneng District raped a certain lady (name withheld).

On the second count, the accused is said to have on the same occasion robbed his victim of a black Vodacom Android cellular phone valued at P500, 5x200ml Tropical mango juices valued at P60, 1kg Nutri Day double cream yoghurt valued at P23 and 5kg chicken braai pack valued at P150.

The accused, who is self-represented, is said to have used personal violence to the said victim during the commissioning of the crime and has pleaded not guilty to both charges. 

Ms Atang Mongae and Mr Ookeditse Gabothuse from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions prosecute.

The last state witness to give evidence was detective constable Percy Molokwe of Mogoditshane Police Station, who said he first met the accused on October 1, 2017 when he arrived at the police station and told officers that he had raped a certain lady in Mmopane Block 1, but suspects the victim had not reported the matter.

Detective constable Molokwe noted that the police were alarmed and realising this, the accused immediately offered to take them to the scene of the crime, but when they got there the victim was not around and the house was also locked.

The detective noted that when they were about to return to the office, Letsweletse told them that there was a cell phone that he stole from his victim and went ahead to take it from his house, which is next to the victim’s. 

He also volunteered to surrender additional exhibits kept in a nearby under-construction house. Some food items were thus retrieved. ENDS