20 Mar 2022

Magistrate Daniel Nkau of Kanye Magistrate Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Tshipa Nkwe and first defence witness for failure to appear in court recently.

Nkwe (43) is accused of raping a 61-year-old woman of Moshupa in 2017 between April 8 and 10.

Initially, Nkwe had filed for a no case to answer, but the court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him through evidence provided by three state witnesses. 

Consequently, Nkwe raised an alibi and promised to call two witnesses to corroborate his position that he was not in Moshupa at the time the offence was committed.

The first defence witness was expected to take the stand on Thursday.

However, prosecutor, Sergeant Linah Bannyaditse of Moshupa police station, told court that both the accused and his witness were not in attendance. 

Sgt. Bannyaditse thus made an application for their warrant of arrest, saying their reasons of absence were not known to the state.

Meanwhile, the prosecution is yet to locate the second defence witness to corroborate Nkwe’s evidence. ends