19 Sep 2022

Prosecution witness, Sergeant Tebogo Baebele has told Broadhurst Magistrate Court on Friday that while in pursuit of suspected robbers, they abandoned the Toyota Fortuner along the way as the road came to an end.

He said the suspects bolted on foot, one of them carrying a checked bag, known locally as mozimbabwe while the other was holding an AK47 rifle.  “The suspect who was carrying the mozimbabwe bag dropped it and the one with an AK47 started shooting at us, allowing his counterpart to return for the bag,” said Sgt. Baebele.

Sgt Baebele a police officer stationed at Gaborone West Police Station under the Safer City Operation Unit said on October 13, 2021 he reported for duty and was deployed at Block 6 with Constable Keotsenye.  

“At around 10am, I received a call through the police radio that there was a robbery at Turn Rite Mall and that the robbers were headed towards our area of operation. 

The robbers were said to have robbed G4S vehicle transporting cash and were said to be driving a silver grey Toyota Fortuner of registration B384 BFR,” said Sgt. Baebele. He said they located the suspected vehicle at GIPS flats driving towards their direction and made a sudden U-turn. 

“I was driving and we pursued the vehicle through the internal roads of Mogoditshane and it took a gravel road that went past Lamila Lodge,” he said.

Sgt Baebele said the road was dusty, therefore they managed to pursue the vehicle with the assistance of members of the public. 

He said the road suddenly came to an end and the suspects abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot. “I also got off the vehicle and followed them,” he said.

Sgt Baebele said they lost track of the two suspects and went to a point where one of the suspects was shooting from, and discovered six cartridges of bullets.

He confirmed to the court that the two men whom they were pursuing had alighted from the abandoned Toyota Fortuner, but could not tell the total number of people who were in that vehicle. 

“I only saw the two who alighted as we approached the vehicle, the one carrying the checked bag and the one holding an AK47 rifle,” he said. Though recorded in his statement that some of the items he picked at the scene and handed over to the investigator was a jacket that was hanging from a tree on the passage used by the suspects, Sgt Baebele said he did not know why the jacket was not brought to court for identification.

He revealed under cross examination that he also discovered a green substance wrapped in a plastic bag suspected to be marijuana and a rizzla wrapper, which were also not produced before court for identification. 

He said though he never parted with Cst Keotsenye it was possible for them to relay conflicting accounts of what they saw on that day since he was driving while his counterpart was a passenger.

Mothusi Alfred Matomela, Thapelo Lekobe, Mzwandile Mazibuko and Ntholephi Elliot Ntshalintshali are charged with armed robbery, unlawful possession of fire arm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of goods stolen outside the country. On the first count of armed robbery, the accused persons acting together and in consent, armed with pistols and rifles robbed G4S Security Company cash amounting to P2 310 000, possession of an AK47 rifle and a pistol on October 13, 2021 at Turn Rite Mall, along Gabane road.

Mazibuko and Ntshalintshali, South African nationals are also facing another count of entering Botswana through an ungazetted point. 

The case will mention on Monday to set dates for continuation of trial. ENDS