Chief Magistrate Rebecca Motsamai of the Lobatse Magistrate Court has extended the remand of a man who rammed a truck into a house in Pitsane/Potlokwe, killing a seven months-old baby and causing bodily harm to other occupants.

Denying 26-year-old accused Teko Mosweu bail on Friday, Magistrate Motsamai said, she had taken into consideration the prosecution’s position that if granted bail, the accused was likely to interfere with investigations as some statements had not yet been recorded.

She said she had also considered the provisions of the 2024 Bail Act, which enjoin the courts to be alive to the views of complainants regarding the admission into bail of people who had perpetrated criminal acts against them.

Ms Motsamai stated therefore that Mosweu’s former girlfriend, Ms Amogelang Mogale who is the mother to the deceased, had informed the court that she feared for her life and believed that the release on bail of the accused would jeopardise her safety.

She said the account of the abusive relationship that Mogale and the accused had had, even after their relationship ended, and the fears of the second complainant Mr Days Telane, who had suffered severe injuries from the incident were taken into consideration.

Furthermore, she said she had taken into consideration that the accused had not submitted convincing facts to counter his ex-partner’s allegations of abuse.

Additionally, Ms Motsamai said her ruling judgment had also taken into consideration the prosecution’s plea for the court to also look at the case from a gender-based violence (GBV) standpoint.

“This is not only a murder and attempted murder case, it is a gender-based violence case, and from the evidence of the complainant the issues were not momentary but were progressive and therefore on the balance of probability, it could not be said that it was an accident or a coincidence,” Magistrate Motsamai said.

Tendering her testimony, Ms Mogale had communicated her opposition to the accused being released on bail saying Mosweu’s actions of running a truck into a house that she was in was a sign that he had intentions of killing her and other occupants of the house.

She told the court that it was likely therefore that once out on bail, he could proceed to complete his mission.

Also opposed to the accused’s bail bid, Mr Telane said he was also apprehensive of Mosweu’s return into society.

Moving his bail application earlier, the accused had assured the court that if granted bail, he would abide by the conditions that would be set.

He added that after the tragic incident occurred he had personally handed himself to Ramatlabama Police, saving law enforcement agency the time that would otherwise have gone into searching for him.

Additionally, he had told court that he had no other case pending against him and that he was not of a violent disposition.

The prosecutor, Ms Tamela Mbulawa had told court that they were still waiting for forensic affidavit from the forensic science laboratory in relation to certain exhibits.

She said the investigating officer was yet to record some statements and that the incident scenery photo album was also yet to be compiled hence further remand of the accused was necessary.

Mosweu was arraigned before court on June 16 for four counts of offences, which included murder and attempted murder following the incident which occurred in Pitsane/Potlokwe near Good Hope.

He is scheduled to appear again in court on September 16. ENDS