11 May 2020

Kasane Magistrate, Ms Thato Ramaja has on May 11 denied Mukasa Ntengu bail for assaulting Mr Atlasame Ledimo, a social worker based at Lesoma.

Magistrate Ramaja said she would avail reasons for denying Mukasa bail on May 25 when the suspect appears for mention.

Magistrate Ramaja’s ruling follows a bail application by Ntengu’s lawyer, Mr Morupi Mbeha of Mbeha Attorneys, who said there were no reasonable grounds or basis by the state not to grant his client bail.

Mr Mbeha argued that his client was not a flight risk, nor would he fail to satisfy all the factors of bail if granted freedom.

However, the state prosecutor, Sub-Inspector Benjamin Mmualefhe objected to the bail saying the victim was in a vegetative state at Gaborone Private Hospital.

In addition, he submitted that the victim was unable to communicate coupled with losing a lot of blood and that there was no assurance that the victim would recover or die.

As a result, he pleaded with court to delay bail until such a time that there was no threat to the victim’s life.

Mr Ledimo is alleged to have been attacked and wounded by the suspect when he had gone to assess the suspect’s family for possible COVID-19 food basket. ENDS