27 Aug 2024

 The trial of 32 year old Tsaone Reboeleng, who is charged withh robbing a Security Systems cash-in-transit vehicle about P986 470 alongside 10 others, started on Monday with the defence team laying bare its intention to reject the accused person’s confession statement admitted in court.

The defence counsel, Mr Kgosietsile Ngakayagae said Reboeleng, who is the sole survivor of the 23 February 2022 Phase II shoot-out, was forced to make the confession statement which made her complicit to the crime.

Mr Nkgakayagae said when the accused person made the confession, she was suffering from a fresh gunshot wound, had been tortured, slapped and was not in a good mental state.

“That is the context in which she was broken down and made to write a statement in exchange of not being tortured, in exchange of her liberty and in exchange of the promise that she will not be prosecuted,” he said.

He said by the time his client surrendered to the police at her rented Phase II house, where the shooting took place, she was suffering from a fresh wound as a bullet had pierced through her left side and she was  interrogated in that state before being taken to the hospital late at night.

He said from the hospital, the accused was then interrogated again and told to give information about her role in the robbery. He said Reboeleng was also denied assistance from her family and her attorney, until a High Court order was issued to compel the state to avail her to the family and to her attorney.

Mr Ngakayagae said by the time the High Court issued the order, the police had already obtained her remand warrant, hence she was transferred to women’s prison, from where the police ferried her to Gaborone Central Police Station where her torture and interrogation continued.

“She was told that she should go and make a confession statement, which she refused. 

She was then tortured and ended up giving in to the police demands, and gave a statement which implicated her in the matter,” he said.He added that Reboeleng was in no psychological position to undertake a confession statement. Before the trial started, Reboeleng pleaded not guilty to the charge of robbery.

The court has already heard from the first state witness, Ms Sebone Tapoloso, who is a street vendor at Main Mall.

The trial, which is before Magistrate Ms Kamogelo Mmesi, will continue on September 4 when the state, represented by Mr Pascal Mhandu, is expected to call more witnesses. ENDS