29 Nov 2025

‎Murder accused Ogona Tlhabologang, of Gumare has pleaded with the court to release him on bail.
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‎Tlhabologang aged 26 appeared before Lobatse Magistrates Court, senior magistrate Tshoganetso Atamelang on Friday.
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‎He is accused of the murder of a 31-year-old Zimbabwean prison inmate who shared a prison cell with him at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital on May 17 at Lobatse.
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‎The duo had gone for forensic psychiatric examination as part of the criminal procedure at the time when they were incarcerated at Maun Prison. 
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‎Tlhabologang pleaded with the court to grant him bail giving reason that he was incarcerated at Lobatse Prison which was far away from his home village making it difficult for his family to visit him.
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‎He also wanted to know how much time prosecution needed to complete their investigations as it was not clear yet as to when they would complete their investigation. 
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‎The prosecutor Mr Ford Morupisi who was standing in for the substantive prosecutor, Mr Modibedi Tladi told court that investigations were still ongoing and that the investigating officer was yet to write a statement and that the complete docket was yet to be received by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
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‎ Additionally, he told court that he was not in a position to address the accused’s bail application as he was not the substantive prosecutor in the case.
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‎ He thus requested for the accused to be further remanded in custody until investigations were completed.
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‎According to court files, Tlhabologang has two pending cases in Maun, that of  murder of his 12-year-old sister on September 4, 2022 and a threat to kill case where he had threatened to kill his father.
‎“I am worried that if you have a murder case that has not yet been prosecuted, and you have a threat to kill case that is still pending before Maun Court and you now have another murder case, it is worrying because this is a series of serious offenses, it suggests that you are a repeat offender, chances are that if you are considered for bail before long you will be back again in courts probably for a very similar offense.
‎I need you to reflect on that,” said the Magistrate.
‎He thus remanded him in custody adding that the substantive prosecutor who was handling the case was not in court and therefore it was important to wait for him to address the court on the accused’s bail application.
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‎ The accused will appear again in court on December 17. ENDS