14 Aug 2024

A state witnesses in a case in which Bhekizwe Nkomazana alias Khaya Bheki Mazibuku is charged for failing to disclose the death of Solomon Thapane to his family and subsequently obtaining over P4 million through selling his properties, has confirmed undertaking her own investigations when the police alerted her of the matter.

The witness, Ms Keikantseone Gaowelwe, who then supervised the Civil and National Registry’s Main Mall branch, told Ext II Magistrate Court on Monday that when the matter came to her attention, she went through the process followed to issue the said Omang.

She said she discovered some discrepancies in the process followed to issue Mazibuku with a birth certificate, which he later used for his Omang application.

She said the birth certificate application was done at the Main Mall office as a late registration, using a batch of registration forms issued to the Gaborone West Clinic.

Ms Gaowelwe said there was no way the Gaborone West Clinic would do late registration as such was done only at the Civil and National Registry after the assessment committee had looked into the matter.

Also, she said there was information, which was found to be missing such as names of the father, origin of the mother and number of her children.

With such gaps, she said the system should have alerted Onthusitse Seoke, who was processing the application but he nonetheless processed.

She said notwithstanding the gaps, the system made it possible to continue to process the application and print the certificate.

She also said as she continued to follow up the process, it indicated that the said certificate was registered to have been collected by a certain Pule Joseph who was an uncle to Mazibuko.

However, she said there was nowhere on their Omang collection registration book where the said Pule Joseph appeared to have signed.

Another witness, Mr Elijah Keatlhotswe, who then worked as Principal Registration Clerk, said in 2016 he was asked about the said certificate by the police.

He said the striking difference he noted when he followed Mazibuku’s registration was his surname spelling, adding on the Omang it was spelled Mazibuku whereas on the birth certificate was spelled Mazibuko.

He said when processing the application with such differences, the system would not process until the production supervisor verified the differences.

Mr Keatlhotswe stated that the production supervisor was one Keothupile Keothupile who was found to have checked the form.

Mazibuko, who worked for the late Thapane as a gardener until his passing in 2016, is charged alongside Othusitse Seoke, Daniel Gasefiwe and

Levy Mosweu who are charged for official corruption in abetting him to obtain a birth certificate, national identity card (Omang) and a driver’s licence.

The state is represented by Ms Seeletso Ookeditse while Nkomazana is represented by Mr Kgosietsile Ngakaagae. Gasefiwe’s attorney is Mr Enock Mazonde while Seoke and Mosweu are self-represented. BOPA