13 Mar 2020

Interpol has successfully extradited, Ndombi Nono Selaolo also known as Ndombi Abouelela from South Africa. Selaolo is facing a single count of motor vehicle theft and has been in hiding since 2012. She was repatriated from South Africa on the afternoon of March 12. 

After a successful extradition process, she was conveyed under police escort to the Village Magistrate Court in Gaborone, where she was arraigned before Acting Chief Magistrate, Ms Batho Kgerethwa.  
The Public Prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Mr Omphemetse Makale said the South African government, through the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services on December 15, 2019, signed for the fugitive to be deported to Botswana. 
He confirmed that the handing over of the fugitive was done at Pioneer Border Post near Lobatse.
On the basis of the filed documents, he said the fugitive should be referred to as accused person and be read the charge sheet, while a plea should be reserved as the case was to be taken over by another prosecutor. Mr Makale pleaded that the accused person be remanded in custody pending finalisation of the matter, as granting her bail would open room for her to escape with the likelihood of not standing trial. In her defence, Selaolo, who told the court that she would self represent, said there was no need for the plea to be reserved as in her view, prolonging the matter would be tantamount to misuse of public funds. “I fully understand why I am here and there is no need to reserve the plea. I am ready to take a plea. I also believe the prosecution has long concluded the investigations,” she said. She said there was more to life after the case, stressing: “we need to do away with this case as a matter of urgency, I know what has happened and there is no need to delay the matter”. 
Meanwhile, Lt Col Amanda Fumani of the South African Police Service stationed in the North West Provincial office, revealed in an interview with BOPA that Selaolo had been released from prison in South Africa, where she was sentenced to a jail term of eight years at Potchefstroom for theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen goods and escaping from lawful custody. Lt Col Fumani confirmed that Selaolo was released after serving six years of the jail term.  
The particulars of the offence are that, the accused person on or about October 2, 2012 at or near Block 9 in Gaborone stole a motor vehicle being a dark green Honda CRV bearing registration numbers B 721 ATS valued at P40 000, being the property of Octavious Gora. 
Acting Chief Magistrate Kgerethwa said in the interest of justice, the accused person would be remanded in custody and appear for mention on March 17 for status hearing of the case. END