23 Jun 2023

Lobatse High Court has postponed to August 24 bail application hearing of Lovemore Sithole (37) who is accused of murdering seven-year-old Tlotso Karema last year.

Postponing the matter on Thursday, Justice Ookeditse Maphakwane said the affidavits filed by the state in opposing Sithole’s bail application were not in the language of the court, though the state had relied heavily on them to oppose bail.

“We require the translation of those affidavits. We cannot proceed with them being in Setswana,” Justice Maphakwane stated.

He therefore instructed the state to translate the affidavits from Setswana to English and serve the applicant with the translated version.

Justice Maphakwane said until the two affidavits were translated, they were of no assistance to the court.

Sithole had approached the High Court with an application to be granted bail following a failed attempt at the magistrate’s court, which the state had vehemently opposed arguing that Sithole was a foreigner and could flee the country.

The Zimbabwean native has been charged with a single count of murder allegedly committed on or about 18 March 2022 between Molapowabojang and Lobatse. Ends