06 Jan 2014

A 28-year-old man accused of obtaining by false pretences is due to appear before the Francistown Magistrate Court on January 29.

The accused, Michael Balapi, commonly referred to as Mr Bling allegedly obtained a total amount of P120 000 from one Boikaego Mmeso last year pretending that he was going to buy him a car at the United Kingdom. When setting the mention date, Magistrate Thekololo Letsholo ruled that Balapi, who is on a conditional bail, should report once a week at Central Police Station.

Earlier, Balapi had pleaded with the court to be allowed to report to the police once a week instead of reporting twice a week. He explained that reporting twice affected his business as sometimes he had to collect goods that he ordered for his customers. Prosecuting the matter is Inspector Mengisto Chigala.

Still in the same court, Dithapelo Nkhwana and Gwelisani Maduwe appeared on a charge of murder that took place in Borolong on December 24 2013. The state counsel, Ms Nomsa Moatswi pleaded with the court that the duo be remanded in custody because of the seriousness of their charge.

Ms Moatswi said investigations on the matter were at an initial stage, adding that the postmortem on the deceased had not been done and the investigation officer had not yet recorded any statements from prospective witnesses. The first accused, Nkhwana aged 29 argued that he was not party to the offence and that the second accused should tell court the truth.

He said he was the breadwinner for his family and he was also running a business that needed him to always be available. The second accused, Maduwe pleaded with the court not to remand her as she had three children and there was nobody to look after them.

Mr Letsholo told the first accused that investigations were still at an initial stage and once advanced, they would determine whether he was or not party to the crime. He however said it will take time. He advised the second accused to ask her relatives to look after her children.  ENDS