05 Jul 2022

Two Zimbabwean illegal immigrants, Ephafellon Tanda and Alfred Morris Moyo were on Monday denied bail by Extension II magistrate, Mr Tshoganetso Amogelang. 

The duo is accused of being part of a recent armed robbery incident in Gaborone’s Extension 10, where two Batswana and four Zimbabweans, armed with three pellet guns, robbed a man and stole two cellphones valued at P5 000. 

The robbery led to a shootout near Botswana College of Engineering and Technology, which resulted in the death of two suspects on the scene, while another was injured. 

The local suspects are Lebogang Bose and Ofentse Kerebotswe. 

Magistrate Amogelang said armed robbery cases were prevalent and there was need for courts to take firm measures. 

 He said robbery was a serious offence that could motivate someone to flee the country, adding, however, that such did not change the fact that someone was innocent until proven guilty. 

Earlier when motivating for their remand, investigating officer, Detective Assistant Superintendent Phelindaba Gumede said the two were not candidates for bail. 

He said the first accused, Tanda, was an illegal immigrant and had no place of residence in the country and that at the time of his arrest, he was on bail for another armed robbery case before Village Magistrate Court. 

If convicted, he said, the accused could serve a lengthy sentence and that could motivate him to flee. 

He said Moyo was not only an illegal immigrant, but had been declared a prohibited immigrant (PI) thrice. 

He said he was first declared a PI in 2005 after being convicted of burglary and theft by Masunga Magistrate Court and in 2009 after a conviction for house-breaking and theft by Broadhust Magistrate Court. 

In addition, he said the accused was further declared persona non grata by the minister in January 2022 and subsequently deported to Zimbabwe. 

Furthermore, he said the police had opened a case of entering the country while being a PI, emphasising ‘clearly your worship, the accused person is an undesirable element’. 

However, Tanda said he was not an illegal immigrant, as his allotted days elapsed when his passport was in the hands of the police and further accused the state of being biased.  

“It is an issue of nationality, it is an issue of xenophobia, it is an issue of discrimination,” he said. 

The prosecutor, Sub-inspector Modisaotsile Seratswe had earlier told the court that he had no problem with the third accused person being admitted to bail. 

He, however, said the accused should pay a cash bail of P3000 and present two sureties, who would bind themselves with the same amount. 

The third accused, who was joining the fourth accused on bail, was asked to present himself whenever summoned to court. 

The quartet will appear for mention on July 20. Ends