14 Feb 2023

Broadhurst Magistrate Ms Jobbie Moilatshimo has granted Leufty Kosie and Outlwile Aston conditional bail.

The two, alongside Moagi Letsholo and Kebaleboge Ntsebe are accused of murdering Kopong teacher, Barulaganye Aston last year.

The ruling was read by Magistrate Segomotso Phetogo on Monday on behalf of Magistrate Moilatshimo.

One of the bail conditions is that each of the accused person should pay P5 000 and provide a P2 000 surety.

They are also to report to Mogoditshane Police fortnightly and are not to interfere with the state witnesses.

The court also ordered that the accused persons should not be reasonably suspicious of having committed crime while on bail. 

The two were ordered to surrender their travel documents to the police forthwith.

“Any access to the minor children by the accused shall be through and in the presence of the investigating officer and a social welfare officer and also upon consent by the guardians of the children,” she said.

The magistrate said that any breach of the conditions directly and indirectly would lead to the revocation of the bail.

 She said Kosie and Aston were previously denied bail because statements of state witnesses, who had close ties with one of the accused were not recorded and was not at the point of recording the statement. 

The magistrate said the court viewed that the two should be in custody until the minor child was ready to record a statement.

Therefore, she said, since the minor had recorded the statement, the circumstance had changed.

Magistrate Moilatshimo said the accused persons were merely suspects, had no previous qualms with the law and had been imprisoned for months pending investigations.

 Also, she said the state had been dragging its feet in completing the requisite information to commit the matter to the High Court, saying information from service providers had been said to be pending since the case began.

 She added that she had found the accused persons not to flight risks.

 On the alleged interference with witnesses by the accused persons, he said the court did not have sufficient evidence to hold such against the accused.

 “I reiterate that the release of the accused person on bail has no bearing on their guilt or otherwise, they had been imprisoned for a while,” she said.

And further said that maybe their release would make the state to speed up committing the case to the High Court.

The two join traditional doctor, Ntsebe who was last year admitted to bail while Letsholo as a serving inmate for a different offence will remain in custody.

 The case had been set for mention on February 17. Ends