15 Nov 2023

The rising number of murder cases reported weekly have become worrisome to residents of Serowe and surrounding villages.

In an interview with Serowe Police Station Commander, Superintendent Poloko Oteng said they are concerned about murder cases in their policing area following misunderstandings, which resulted in death.

This is after a 25-year-old man, Mr Onneile Njadingwe known as ‘X-man’ of Phokela ward, in Serowe appeared before the Serowe Magistrate’s Court on a single count of murder on Tuesday.

The accused is alleged to have caused the death of Tshepho Odirile on 11^th November, 2023 at Matsape ward in Serowe.

He is alleged to have stabbed him with a sharp object suspected to be a knife on the chest after a misunderstanding at a shebeen.

The prosecutor told the court that investigations were still at an early stage given that the incident happened over the past weekend. 

Prosecution also told the court that post-mortem had been booked at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone and the investigating officer would present more evidence regarding the case when the accused mentions again on November 28.

He therefore requested that the accused be remanded further in custody. The court was told that the accused was on conditional bail in another case of threat to kill.

Njadingwe told the court that the victim, who was believed to be his friend, was the one who started the fight and stabbed him three times at the back.

He said he called for help but people who were at the shebeen failed to assist, thus, he fought back and took the knife from the victim and stabbed him in retaliation.

The murder accused said he handed himself over to the police and presented the knife, which was used during the fight.

In another murder case, a 28-year-old man, Mr Thato Tiga of Mogorosi ward in Tshimoyapula is alleged to have caused the death of Ms Kagiso Segwabe who was his girlfriend by pouring her with a mixture of oil and petrol on her body and set her on fire.

The incident happened on 31^st October, 2023 and the victim was rushed to the Sekgoma Memorial Hospital and later transferred to Nyangagwe Referral Hospital  in Francistown, where she eventually died.

 The accused was remanded in custody and informed to appear for mention on November 28. Supt Oteng further advised people to seek assistance and advise from relevant local authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.

Another case involved Mr Ookeditse Tswebebe of Morwakwena ward in Serowe, who during his alleged careless driving under the influence of alcohol caused an accident where three people lost their lives at Kakamane lands along the Serowe/Palapye road on October 11, 2020.

He pleaded guilty to all three counts he was charged with and the prosecution is expected to present the facts of the case in the next mention date. ENDS.