09 Feb 2025

Jwaneng magistrate, Kelebogile Molapo recently ruled against a bail application for murder accused, Tshepo Mmolawa.

The 33-year-old man of Botapo ward in Mabutsane is accused of killing Keneilwe Macheng at Mabutsane on December 7, 2021. The court heard that following his arrest in November 2023, the accused was initially denied bail owing to the prosecution’s submissions that he was a flight risk and the gravity of the offence he was facing.

“Upon the applicant’s arrest sometime in November 2023, he made an application for bail, which was dismissed for reasons that the nature of the offence charged is very serious. It appeared that since the offence was committed the accused had not been in the country, and in the assessment of the evidence thereof, the court was convinced that the accused was a flight risk and refused the application for bail,” she explained.

Furthermore, the magistrate noted that following the conclusion of investigations by the prosecution, the accused person failed to convince the court that he was a candidate for bail, save that he had been in custody for 11 months. In the absence of fresh arguments or circumstances, the court dismissed his bail application and ordered that his remand be extended to February 20 when the case is scheduled for mention.  ENDS