27 Oct 2022

Prosecution witness, Ms Tlhomamo Mmane Molalapata, a sales manager at Lewis Furniture says she does not recollect calling any prisoner in July 2018.

Giving evidence in chief at the ongoing murder trial at Gaborone High Court on Wednesday, she said on August 31, 2018 she received a telephone call from Mr Marapo identifying himself as a police officer.

 She said Mr Marapo enquired about a phone call made from their office landline to someone in prison.

Ms Molalapata said the officer wanted details of the phone call, adding that after getting a phone call register record from the telephone department from Lewis head office, she learnt that the alleged phone call was made through her personal code.

Recollecting the events of the said month, she said on July 12, 2018, one of the company’s employees, Mr Ernest Legwale (1st accused), engaged as an auditor at Lewis came to their branch in Francistown to carry out an audit on the day in question.

“I recall that on that day, Legwale requested to use a telephone to call our human resource officer, Mr Setlhake.

I used my code to make the call.

As I did not have Mr Setlhake’s number I got it from Mr Legwale.

I left while he was on the call to get the files that he had requested for the audit,” she said.

Other than Legwale and herself, Ms Molalapata said she does not recall ever allowing any other person to make a telephone call at their office using her code.

Meanwhile, another prosecution witness, Mr Erikuzanda Dabie has also told the court that he knew the second accused person (Hamadi Mkhuha).

He said sometime in 2015, his younger brother, Godfrey Dabie came to their residence at Kumakwane with one Mkhuha.

He said his brother, who was owning a maroon CRV Honda, traded/swapped his car with Mkhuha’s silver BMW.

Mr Dabie said since his younger brother had lost an identity document at the time, an agreement was made that the BMW be registered under Mr Erikuzanda Dabie.

Mr Dabie said he eventually gained full ownership of the BMW after he gave his younger brother a corolla.

“I used the BMW as a taxi at bus rank for about two and a half years, only to discover that the vehicle was flagged when he was renewing its license.

“I went to Broadhurst Police Station to enquire about the flagging, where I was informed by Mr Marapo that the vehicle was wanted by the police as it was allegedly linked to a murder incident being investigated.

The police also informed me that they were looking for my younger brother (Godfrey) as he was allegedly linked to the said murder incident,” he said.

Mr Dabie said the said BMW was currently in possession of the police as it was used as evidence in the ongoing case.

Legwale of Phaphane ward in Mochudi is alleged to have on September 10, 2015 plotted to murder his former wife Dimpho Meswele, alongside Hamadi Mkhuha and another who is still on the run.

Particulars of the offence are that Legwale allegedly hired hit men who accidentally murdered Thato Meswele, the younger sister to Legwale’s former wife, Dimpho.

The trial is ongoing before Judge Michael Leburu and the investigating officer, Detective Senior Superintendent Sergeant Marapo is currently giving evidence. Ends