12 Sep 2024

Six men accused of a robbery involving gadgets such as laptops and phones valued at over P1.6 million have been slapped with a new charge of money laundering.

The accused, Kgosietsile Leeuw, Rorisang Meswele, Thabang Jorowe, Mogomotsi Modielo, Modiredi Serite and Laone Norris were slapped with an additional charge when they appeared for mention before Magistrate Kamogelo Mmesi of Extension II Magistrate court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor, Mr Michael Mookantsa from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions told the magistrate court that the state desired to amend the charge sheet to add another charge to the already existing two of robbery and fraud.

Mr Mookantsa also said the state could not, in the previous court appearance, amend the charge sheet, while in the previous appearance other accused, Meswele and Norris were not present and asked for their warrant of arrest.

Meanwhile, all of the four who were present in court pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to the charge sheet, the six accused persons were alleged to have on or about January 22, 2023 at Plot 99, Unit 3, Commerce Park in Gaborone, acting jointly with common purpose robbed Sivashankar Santhaman, Timothy Makwirimba, Hendry Sondula and Herdman Banengi various gadgets valued P1.6m.

They were alleged to have used personal violence against the victims by threatening them with an air gun, a slasher matchet, slasher and crowbar in order to obtain and retain the stolen goods.

Furthermore, Leeuw, Meswele, Magodielo and Norris were alleged to have, on January 7, 2023 at Plot 99, Unit 3, Commerce Park in Gaborone, acting jointly with common purposed robbed Dr Shadrack Chilume and Keetshabe Kilego of an iPhone 12 Promax, Sony digital camera, camera case and a memory card, CCTV DVR box, HP Probook 450 G2 laptop, vacuum cleaner, black Itel phone and all valued at P43 465 and cash amounting to P1 500.

Before or immediately after the said robbery, the quartet allegedly used personal violence against the victims by assaulting and threatening them with slasher, matchet and a crowbar in order to obtain and retain the stolen property.

On one hand, Leeuw, Meswele, Magodielo and Norris are alleged to have, on January 7, 2023 at Pick and Pay South Ring Mall in Gaborone, acting jointly with common purpose with intent to fraud, obtained P3 000 from Tatenda Magwende by falsely pretending that they were his friend, Dr Chilume, while in actual fact the accused knew that the representation was false.

On money laundering, the six accused persons are alleged to have, on January 22, 2023, at White City and Block 3 in Gaborone, acting jointly in consent, sold some items while they knew or had reasonable grounds of knowing or suspecting that the said items were derived in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from a commission of an offence.

They would appear for mention on October 14 and the court had also issued a warrant of arrest for Meswele and Norris. Ends