13 Apr 2022

Investigators in the SADC robbery case will travel to Zimbabwe, where some of the alleged stolen goods were said to have been ferried.

The state prosecutor, Mr Pascal Mhandu on Tuesday requested the Village magistrate, Ms Tshepo Thedi to further remand the six accused persons who allegedly robbed the SADC office on January 29, as investigations were ongoing. 

They are Maitapiso Kgakgamatso, 37, Lesego Masilo, 33, Mpho Rasetena, 28, Otsile Semadi, 40, Tongai Tsikirayi, 38 and Innocent Bushiri Shaggy, 31.

“I have been informed that the investigation team that was to travel to Zimbabwe has not been able to leave due to logistical challenges and I have been informed they will leave sometimes this week,” he said. 

However, the prosecution plea for the accused to be remanded was objected by the accused persons, who accused the prosecution of extending their incarceration.

The first accused, Kgakgamatso complained that their lives were in danger because of overcrowding, outbreak of diseases and non-adherence to social distancing at prison. 

Another accused, Semandi said during the previous appearance, the prosecution never mentioned that investigators would travel to Zimbabwe.

Semadi said the prosecution only told the court that they had just received the case from the police and needed time to study it.

He said it was surprising that the prosecution was now opposing bail on the basis that investigations were still continuing. 

As such, he pleaded with court to grant them conditional bail, promising that they would abide by the set conditions.

Another suspect, Shaggy pleaded with court to grant them bail, promising that they would cooperate with the investigators.

“I need it to help the investigation team to recover the things [stolen goods] in Zimbabwe,” he said.

However, Magistrate Thedi said the bail issue would be settled by the substantive magistrate, Dr Goodwill Makofi on April 26.

The six accused persons are facing a single count of robbery committed on or about January 29, 2022 at the SADC headquarters in Gaborone, where they allegedly stole laptops and cameras worth P582 000.

In addition to the SADC charge, Kgakgamatso, Rasetena and Semadi also face a separate robbery charge.

They are alleged to have, acting together with another, on or about December 21, 2021 at Gaborone’s Central Business District, robbed a certain Wenjani Yu P2 000 cash, a black Samsung tablet, a Nokia cellphone, a pink apple phone, a grey Huawei cellphone, a blue Itel cellphone and a single barrel shot gun. ends