10 Jul 2023

Broadhurst Magistrate Court has been assured that the children of murder accused, Mogomotsi Morima are okay under the care of their grandmother.

Morima had earlier pleaded with court to give him bail, arguing that being remanded would jeorpadise the welfare of his children as he was their sole care-taker.

 Broadhurst Senior Magistrate, Ms Oarabile Mokoni therefore ordered the state to follow up on the issue of the welfare of children by engaging the relevant authorities such as social welfare officers. 

Contrary to what the accused said, it was found that the children were doing well under the care of their grandmother. 

Morima and his co-accused Edwin Mogala were recently denied bail by Ms Mokoni to allow the state to finalise its investigations. 

Morima had also pleaded that he had another child whom he was not staying with, therefore was paying monthly maintenance fee as per a court order. 

As such, Morima said his lengthy incarceration pending finalisation of the matter was bound to land him in trouble by defaulting payment. 

Updating the court on the issue, the prosecutor Sergeant Mmoloki Selefera stated that the Investigating Officer had on June 26 visited the family of the accused persons to assess the situation. 

Sgt Selefera confirmed that indeed Morima had two primary school going children, one in Standard Four and the other in Standard Six.

 He said a social worker from Gaborone City Council was assigned to assess the situation in relation to what Morima had shared with court. Sgt Selefera said the social welfare office had issued a report to the effect that the accused person’s children living conditions were of the desired level. 

He said the two children were staying in a habitable environment with their grandmother at Ledumadumane ward in Mogoditshane. 

Giving status on the investigations, Sgt. Selefera said the investigating team was still awaiting post mortem report from the pathologist. 

He said the investigating officer had so far managed to interview and record statements from three potential witnesses, adding that more potential witnesses were still being interviewed.

 Responding to the state update, Senior Magistrate Mokoni informed the accused persons that their plea for bail to be considered would depend on the change in the circumstances of the case. 

At present, Ms Mokoni said the reasons that were advanced by the state opposing bail were still being enforced. 

She however ordered the state to give a detailed report on the investigations in the coming mention on July 20. 

She said the state must give a full report on the status of the remaining witnesses and any other challenges that might be hindering progress and finalisation of the investigations.

Ms Mokoni said after the state had completed parts of the investigations, which they feared the accused persons might interfere with, the court would not have the difficulty of granting the accused persons conditional bail. 

Mogala and Morima are facing a single count of murder. 

It is alleged that the deceased Kabelo Sean Molokwe of Nkoyaphiri ward in Mogoditshane was assaulted by the duo at Ledumang location in Gaborone on June 4 between 4am and 5am. 

The matter was attended to by the police and the deceased was rushed to Extension II Clinic for medical attention with multiple injuries allegedly caused by the accused persons. 

Molokwe later passed on allegedly as result of the injuries.

Mogala and Morima were then charged. ENDs