24 Mar 2022

Jwaneng magistrate, Mr Mpho Setshegetso on Wednesday remanded murder accused, Mr Benjamin Magosi for 14 days on a matter of threat to kill. 

The 43-year old Magosi is accused of having threatened to kill an officer investigating his murder case. 

According to the prosecution, Mr Magosi on March 18 in Jwaneng threatened detective constable Otshedile Popo by uttering the words: “Ke tsile go go bolaya ka tlhobolo. Ke go beetse lerumo le le one, ke tsile go thuba tlhogo ka lone.” 

The prosecution indicated that by so doing, Magosi, who has all along been on bail for the murder case has therefore violated one of the bail conditions set when he was granted bail at the high court. 

The investigating officer in the threat to kill case, detective assistant superintendent Shathani Thebele, who is also the head of the Criminal Investigations Department at Jwaneng police, indicated that one of the conditions of his bail was that he should not commit any offence, while on bail or interfere with investigations. 

“Threat to kill is an enough offence in itself, but to threaten the very officer investigating his case is also interference because it has the potential to instill fear in the said officer, therefore preventing him from properly applying himself in the investigations,” he argued. 

In his arguments not to be remanded, Magosi said contrary to what the prosecution wanted the court to believe, he did not commit any offence but was just a suspect, but detective assistant superintendent Thebele told the court that being a suspect in a crime was itself enough to declare someone of having propensity to commit crime. 

He also said that they feared that he might act on his threat. 

Magosi is accused of murder of one Mogomotsi Boresetse on November 11, 2017 in Jwaneng. 

He was granted bail for the alleged offence by High Court Judge, Omphemetse Motumise in September 2019. 

He will appear for mention on April 4. Ends