07 Nov 2019

Two men accused of stealing a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 at gunpoint were arraigned before Ghanzi Senior Magistrate Thapelo Buang on Monday. 

The two accused persons, Washington Tawanda aged 25, and the 29-year-old Pule Sephoye alongside three others who were not before the court are alleged to have stolen a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 valued at P 530 000 on October 31, at Khurakhura ward, Ghanzi belonging to Mr  Gaoabelwe Mabote. 

The two accused persons are also facing a charge of entering Botswana through an ungazetted point of entry. 

During their appearance before the court, prosecutor in the case, Inspector Chinga Pateletso made an application that the accused persons be remanded in custody. 

He said based on the evidence gathered by the investigating officer Detective Constable Ketsweletse Keekae, it was clear that the accused persons and the other three who were still on the run were operating as a syndicate and if given bail, they would interfere with police investigations. 

Inspector Pateletso said the alleged guns used in the commission of the offence had not yet been recovered while they were still looking for keys to the vehicle. 

He pleaded with the court to remand the accused in custody to allow the investigating officer to conclude investigations and trace the three others. 

Earlier in his evidence, Detective Constable Keekae said on October 31, 2019, around 5 pm, they received a report from Mr Mabote who was visiting his friend Ms Dipuo Kotoko that he had been robbed land cruiser and other properties at gunpoint. 

Detective Constable Keekae said it was reported that the incident happened at Ms Kotoko’s place and five men armed with three guns were involved. 

He stated that the men  threatened the victims before searching them. “From Kotoko’s pocket they took cellphones and from Mabote they took P 4000, cellphone and land cruiser keys”. 

Detective Constable Keekae said it was reported that the two accused persons drove away with the Land Cruiser while the other three were in a Chevrolet Sonic. 

He said they were intercepted by police at Sekoma junction and they dumped the car and fled into the bush where the police followed them and arrested the two accused who were then detained at Mabutsane police station. 

He said first accused, born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe but resided in Johannesburg, South Africa produced a passport that had no stamp to show that he had crossed into the country legally. 

He said the second accused did not have any document to prove his identity or nationality but investigations had shown that he was  South African. 

He said if granted bail, they could use the same method they used to enter the country to escape. 

 He added that they were looking for the other three accused. 

He also told the court that before coming to Ghanzi, the accused also stole Mercedes Benz at Lobatse and a Chevrolet at Kanye. 

Tawanda told the court that they were employed by one of the three other accused who were still on the run. He said they were willing to travel with the prosecution to South Africa to show them where their employer resides and that the guns used were with their employer. 

Sephoye also described their employer, who they referred to as Mr Zwakanaka  as a very dangerous man who can harm their families. ENDS